The Federal Government has approved the release of N11.99 billion for the payment of outstanding arrears and allowances owed to doctors and other health workers across the country.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in a statement on Saturday, said the payment, which includes accoutrement allowances, will be made within 72 hours as part of efforts to resolve welfare issues raised by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and other health sector unions.
The statement added that the decision followed a meeting between the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, and leaders of NARD, who are currently on an indefinite strike over unpaid entitlements and poor working conditions.
According to the ministry, President Bola Tinubu has already approved the release of the funds. It explained that N21.3 billion had earlier been transferred to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) for payment, while another N10 billion was paid in August as arrears from the 25–35 percent salary review for medical workers.
It also disclosed that N10.6 billion was disbursed in September for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund.
On efforts to address manpower shortages in the health sector, the ministry said over 20,000 doctors, nurses, and other professionals were recruited into 58 federal health institutions in 2024, with another 15,000 approved for employment this year.
It added that discussions were ongoing with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), with industrial relations expert Prof. Dafe Otobo facilitating the talks aimed at achieving a collective bargaining agreement.
The ministry further said that cases involving dismissed doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, would be reviewed, while issues relating to postgraduate medical certificate classification and delayed promotions were being resolved.
“The Federal Government remains committed to safeguarding the rights and welfare of health workers and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery to Nigerians,” the statement added.