Lagos Doctors Reject FG’s New Pay Structure, Warn of Imminent Healthcare Crisis

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State Branch, has vehemently rejected the Federal Government’s newly proposed pay structure for medical and dental officers, warning that its implementation could trigger a profound crisis in the nation’s already fragile healthcare system. This local rejection reinforces the nationwide 21-day ultimatum issued by the national body of the NMA to the federal government.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, July 4, 2025, the Chairman of the NMA Lagos, Dr. Babajide Saheed, condemned the circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), dated June 27, 2025, which reviewed allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). He described the proposal as “unjust, unprofessional, and capable of further destabilising Nigeria’s healthcare system.”

Dr. Saheed accused the Federal Government of unilaterally issuing the circular without consultation, violating long-established Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) dating back to 2001, 2009, and 2014. He highlighted that the new structure disregards previously agreed salary relativities that define the pay structure between medical doctors and other health professionals based on training, clinical responsibility, and risk exposure.

“This is not a matter of superiority,” Dr. Saheed clarified. “As the late Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti rightly put it, the hierarchy in health is not about ego but about responsibility. When you blur it, you destroy the chain of accountability.” He warned that abolishing this relativity would inevitably lead to confusion and conflict over clinical leadership within hospitals.

The NMA further objected to the proposal’s inclusion of specialist and honorarium allowances for non-doctors, calling it an “affront” to medical professionals who undergo years of rigorous postgraduate clinical training. Dr. Saheed quoted World Health Organisation guidelines, stressing that “Specialist remuneration must reflect clinical leadership, depth of knowledge, and risk exposure. This proposal completely ignores that.”

The medical body also raised concerns about the looming “brain drain” crisis, asserting that the proposed structure would only accelerate the mass exodus of doctors from Nigeria. With the current doctor-to-patient ratio standing at approximately 1:5,000, far below the WHO-recommended 1:600, the NMA warned of a further deterioration of healthcare delivery. “Doctors are already leaving in droves. This structure will only push more out of the system. Behind every emigrating doctor is a collapsing clinic and a patient left behind,” Dr. Saheed lamented.

The demands put forward by the NMA include the immediate withdrawal of the controversial June 27, 2025 circular, proper implementation of consequential adjustments in line with previous CBAs, settlement of all outstanding arrears, immediate payment and review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), and the immediate convocation of negotiations on CONMESS. The NMA Lagos fully supports the 21-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government, emphasizing that it is “not an act of aggression but a call for responsible dialogue and correction.”

The association appealed to the Lagos State Government not to adopt the proposed structure until a professionally negotiated and NMA-endorsed agreement is reached, urging the state not to compromise its reputation for healthcare excellence.