Health workers threaten strike over unpaid allowances

A nationwide health-sector strike is a coordinated work stoppage by health workers across the country. It is used to pressure government employers to resolve disputes over pay, benefits, working conditions or policy. Such action matters because it can affect services in many public healthcare institutions at once.

In this case, the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals directed members nationwide to begin mobilisation. The union represents allied health professionals and said they should prepare for a strike after a two-week labour ultimatum expired. The Nigeria Labour Congress issued the ultimatum with Trade Union Congress support on October 23.

The proposed action follows delays in implementing commitments made to Joint Health Sector Unions. The union wants the CONHESS adjustment, 19 months of reviewed professional-allowance arrears and other entitlements paid. It has not yet announced a definite strike start date in the provided text, but warned that delays could restart suspended industrial action.

The clearest quantified arrears are 19 months of reviewed professional allowances. These payments arose after the Federal Government issued a circular on November 19, 2025, covering revised professional allowances for health workers. NUAHP says the accrued arrears remain unpaid.

The article does not state the total money owed in naira. It also does not provide a specific amount for the outstanding Consolidated Health Salary Structure adjustment. That means the scale can be measured in months, but not as a complete financial figure from the available information.

The unpaid allowances are part of a wider dispute involving salary adjustments and entitlements under the February 5, 2026, terms of settlement with the Joint Health Sector Unions. NUAHP is demanding immediate payment. It also wants eligible professionals included in call-duty allowances and promotions handled under existing guidelines.

CONHESS means the Consolidated Health Salary Structure. It is the salary framework used for many health-sector workers, with numbered levels such as CONHESS 14 and CONHESS 15. Professional allowances are additional payments connected to a worker’s professional duties. They are separate from the basic salary structure and may cover recognised work responsibilities.

The article gives two concrete disputes. NUAHP says the CONHESS adjustment promised under the February 5, 2026, settlement has not been implemented. It also seeks 19 months of arrears after a November 19, 2025, circular reviewed professional allowances. Some professionals are also excluded from call-duty allowances despite working beyond normal hours.

These mechanisms affect both regular pay and extra compensation. The union says some eligible workers remain stuck on CONHESS 14 despite meeting requirements for CONHESS 15. It wants government agencies and healthcare institutions to apply existing circulars, pay eligible allowances and approve promotions across professional cadres.

NUAHP decided to mobilise because it says the government did not honour commitments made after an earlier industrial dispute. JOHESU members had already taken part in an 84-day strike. The action was suspended after the government committed to address the issues and signed terms of settlement with the unions on February 5, 2026.

The central mechanism behind the renewed threat is non-implementation. NUAHP says the CONHESS adjustment remains outstanding despite the settlement. It also says 19 months of reviewed professional-allowance arrears have not been paid. The union considers these delays a failure to fulfil agreed obligations.

The immediate trigger was the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress, with Trade Union Congress support, on October 23. NUAHP acknowledged those labour bodies’ interventions but still directed mobilisation. It warned that continued government inaction could lead to another nationwide strike in the health sector.

A nationwide strike by allied health professionals could disrupt healthcare services across public institutions. Patients might experience delays, fewer available services or postponed care if participating workers stop performing their duties. The article does not list specific hospitals or predict exact closures, so the precise effect cannot be measured from the available information.

The possible disruption follows a broad dispute over pay and employment conditions. NUAHP says some professionals, including health information management professionals, medical social workers, speech therapists and audiologists, are excluded from call-duty allowances. These workers may perform essential services outside regular working hours, making staffing and coverage part of the dispute.

The union has not stated a confirmed strike date in the provided text. It has directed members to prepare for nationwide action and urged the government to prevent resumption of the suspended strike. If implementation continues to stall, the health sector could face another round of industrial action.

The dispute involves several government bodies and employers because pay and promotion rules must be implemented across health institutions. NUAHP specifically called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to act on promotions. It also urged relevant government agencies and healthcare-institution heads to honour existing salary and allowance circulars.

The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission is important because the union cited its circulars on entitlements. NUAHP wants agencies and institution heads to ensure eligible professionals receive reviewed professional allowances and call-duty allowances. It also wants chief executives of healthcare institutions to promote eligible workers from CONHESS 14 to CONHESS 15.

The Federal Government is the main party expected to implement the wider settlement with the Joint Health Sector Unions. The article also identifies the National Assembly in a separate legislative dispute. NUAHP wants it to stop considering the Health Sector Executive Amendment Bills 2026 because of their possible implications for allied health professionals.

Public-sector health workers use unions because many employees can negotiate more effectively together than separately. A union can combine members’ demands, represent them in talks and organise lawful collective action. Collective bargaining creates a formal way to discuss wages, allowances, promotions, working conditions and safety protections with government employers.

The article shows this process through JOHESU’s February 5, 2026, terms of settlement with the Federal Government. Labour organisations also supported the pressure. The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress backed a two-week ultimatum, while NUAHP acknowledged their interventions on the CONHESS adjustment and collective-bargaining negotiations.

Union action also covers workplace safety and professional recognition. NUAHP condemned assaults, verbal abuse, intimidation and harassment against health workers. It called for enforcement of anti-assault guidelines and better security. The union’s demands therefore extend beyond pay to promotion, allowances, legislative decisions and protection while delivering healthcare.