The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has rejected the new salary structure proposed by the federal government for medical doctors.
At a press conference held on Friday at the NMA Lagos Secretariat in Lagos, the association described the proposal as “deeply flawed” and a threat to the country’s healthcare system.
The association said the implementation of the structure would further weaken clinical order, reduce motivation for specialist training, and worsen the growing migration of Nigerian doctors to other countries.
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The Lagos NMA also declared its full support for the 21-day ultimatum earlier issued by the national leadership of the association on 2 July.
Salary relativity
According to the Chairman of the NMA Lagos State Branch, Babajide Saheed, the new salary plan disregards salary relativity between doctors and other health workers.
Mr Saheed explained that this relativity is not based on superiority but reflects “the difference in training duration, clinical responsibility, risk exposure, and leadership roles unique to the medical profession.”
According to the association, removing this structure weakens “the professional framework that ensures clear clinical responsibility and decision-making in our hospitals.”
Support for national ultimatum
The 21-day ultimatum by NMA to the federal government was announced following the release of a controversial circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on 27 June.
The national body had demanded the withdrawal of the circular, which doctors say violates previous agreements.
The NMA is also demanding the immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, the implementation of specialist and hazard allowances, and the universal application of the CONMESS salary structure across all government institutions.
Lagos NMA described the ultimatum as “not an act of confrontation but a call for urgent dialogue and correction.”
The association said it also supports all the demands articulated by the national body, including “the restoration of salary relativity, the reversal of unjust allowance allocations, and the adoption of a professionally sound and globally aligned remuneration framework.”
Objection to allowances for non-doctors
The NMA Lagos also criticised the proposed extension of specialist and honorarium allowances to health professionals who are not doctors.
It noted that these allowances are designed specifically for medical doctors who have completed rigorous postgraduate clinical training and are recognised as specialists by accredited professional colleges.
It said the new proposal “undermines the value of specialist certification, potentially disincentivising pursuit of advanced training and weakening clinical governance.”
According to the association, this could discourage younger doctors from pursuing advanced training, and ultimately weaken the standard of clinical governance in hospitals.
The association referenced the World Health Organisation’s position that “Specialist remuneration must reflect clinical leadership, depth of knowledge, and risk exposure.”
Degrees, clinical training
Another concern raised by the Lagos NMA is the attempt to create parity in allowances between medical doctors and holders of academic doctorates in allied health disciplines, such as Doctor of Pharmacy or Doctor of Optometry.
While acknowledging the value of all health workers, the association pointed out that academic titles do not equate to clinical responsibility or specialist competence.
It added that in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, salary is based on the scope of clinical duties and professional licensure, not on academic qualifications alone.
The association described such equalisation as misleading and professionally inappropriate within the Nigerian healthcare system.
Appeal to Lagos government
The Lagos NMA urged the state government to refrain from adopting the proposed salary structure in its current form.
Instead, the association advised the state to “wait for a resolution that has been properly negotiated and endorsed by the Nigerian Medical Association at the national level.”
It warned that failure to do so could damage that reputation and may also result in “avoidable disruption across health facilities in the state.”
The Lagos NMA said Nigeria is already facing a critical shortage of medical doctors, with a doctor-to-patient ratio of approximately one to 5,000—far below the WHO-recommended ratio of 1 to 600.
It warned that the implementation of “this unjust salary structure will only accelerate the emigration of doctors seeking fair treatment and professional growth abroad.”
“This will further strain our already overburdened health system and compromise the quality of care available to Nigerians,” it said.
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