NLC, TUC Give FG 14-Day Ultimatum Over Delayed Health Workers’ Salaries

NLC, TUC Give FG 14-Day Ultimatum Over Delayed Health Workers’ Salaries

Nigeria’s major labour unions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement the long-delayed Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers or face a nationwide strike.

In a joint statement, NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah and TUC Secretary General Comrade N.A. Toro condemned the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for inaction on the 2021 report of the Technical Committee on CONHESS, which would adjust salaries and welfare for non-doctor health workers.

The unions stressed that while doctors received adjustments under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) years ago, corresponding reviews for other essential health professionals have been repeatedly delayed, causing frustration and hardship.

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They warned that failure to act within 14 days will trigger total industrial action nationwide, including mass protests, withdrawal of services in hospitals and clinics, and picketing of government offices. All NLC and TUC affiliates across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have been placed on high alert.

The ultimatum comes amid a prolonged strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), ongoing since November 15, 2025, over unresolved salary and welfare issues. Reports indicate closed laboratories, pharmacies, and reduced hospital services, disrupting healthcare delivery nationwide.

Union leaders cautioned that continued inaction could escalate beyond the health sector, affecting other industries and undermining public confidence in government commitments to workers. The Federal Government’s response in the coming days will determine whether Nigeria faces its largest nationwide strike in recent times.

NLC, TUC Give FG 14-Day Ultimatum Over Delayed Health Workers’ Salaries