The Federal Government has officially commenced payment of the approved 25 percent salary arrears to health workers across the country, fulfilling part of its earlier pledge to address long-standing welfare demands in the sector.
Reports emerging from various federal medical centres, teaching hospitals, and other health institutions confirm that workers have started receiving credit alerts, signaling the beginning of the long-awaited disbursement.
The payment follows months of intense negotiations between representatives of the Federal Government and major health sector unions, including the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM). The discussions focused on resolving issues bordering on salary adjustments, hazard allowances, and other outstanding entitlements.
According to reliable sources within the Ministry of Health, the payment represents a 25 percent arrear balance approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of ongoing efforts to reposition the health sector and motivate frontline personnel who have endured economic hardship and workplace risks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health workers across the country have expressed relief over the development, describing it as a morale booster. Some staff members confirmed receipt of the payment and commended the government for taking concrete steps to address welfare-related challenges.
“It’s a welcome development. We’ve been waiting for months for this promise to materialize, and it feels good that the government is finally responding,” said a nurse at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Union leaders have, however, urged the government not to rest on its oars, calling for the full implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and the settlement of other outstanding allowances.
They emphasized that sustained welfare improvement remains key to curbing the persistent exodus of skilled medical professionals to developed countries, a trend popularly referred to as the “Japa Syndrome.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has assured that the payment process will continue in batches until all eligible health workers across federal institutions have been credited.
The development is being viewed as a significant step toward rebuilding trust between the government and the health sector workforce, following several years of industrial unrest and strained negotiations.
