The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has announced that the Federal Government will release ₦11.9 billion within 72 hours to offset part of the outstanding salaries and allowances owed to medical professionals across the country.
This follows the indefinite strike declared by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over unpaid entitlements and unfulfilled agreements.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 1, 2025, the ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed the expedited payment to health workers under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
Balogun revealed that in August 2025, the Federal Government had earlier disbursed ₦10 billion to begin settling seven months of arrears. As of October 30, an additional ₦21.3 billion has been processed and payments initiated through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
“The sum of ₦11.995 billion is being processed for release within 72 hours to pay other arrears, including accoutrement allowance. All these payments are being enjoyed by members of NARD in accordance with the salary structure in the health sector,” the statement read.
The ministry also confirmed that ₦10.6 billion has been released as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to all resident doctors nationwide.
Furthermore, Balogun noted that the Federal Government has approved special waivers for mass recruitment in the health sector, resulting in the employment of over 20,000 health workers across 58 federal institutions, with another 15,000 positions approved for 2025.
He added that the government has engaged a professional negotiator, Prof. Dafe Otobo, to facilitate ongoing collective bargaining talks with key health unions, including NARD, JOHESU, and NANNM, to address pending welfare and structural issues.
“These efforts reflect the government’s commitment to improving the working conditions of Nigerian health workers and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery,” Balogun concluded.
