The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has fiercely rejected a new circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), describing it as a gross betrayal of prior agreements and a slap in the face of doctors serving in the country.
At a press conference held at the NMA House in Abuja on Tuesday, July 2, 2025, the leadership of the association expressed outrage over the circular dated June 27, 2025 (SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646), which outlined revised allowances for medical and dental officers in the federal public service.
NMA President, Professor Bala Audu, flanked by the Secretary General, Dr. Ben Egbo, did not mince words as he described the circular as “inadequate, misleading, and an outright violation of negotiated agreements” dating back to the 2001, 2009, and 2014 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
According to the association, the circular not only disregards negotiated terms but also threatens to further erode the morale of medical professionals who have remained in Nigeria despite mass emigration. “The government cannot be exporting doctors to other nations while abandoning those who chose to stay back and serve their fatherland under increasingly hostile conditions,” Prof Audu said.
A Long List of Demands
The association rolled out 18 demands ranging from the immediate withdrawal of the controversial circular to the correction of allowances, payment of arrears, and the implementation of a reviewed retirement age for doctors.
Other key demands include:
Immediate payment and review of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF)
Approval of specialist, excess workload, and scarce skills allowances
Compliance with hazard allowance as agreed in the 2021 CBA
Implementation of the 2024 subsisting CONMESS circular for house officers
Provision of universal health insurance for all doctors
Reversal of non-medical professionals being appointed as consultants
Immediate constitution of management boards for federal health institutions
Dialogue Not Dead—But Patience is Running Out
While affirming their commitment to dialogue, the NMA issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to act on their demands or risk a potential shutdown of health services nationwide.
“This is not a threat, it’s a wake-up call,” Dr. Egbo emphasized. “Doctors are at a breaking point. The time to act is now—before the health sector collapses under the weight of neglect.”
The NMA called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the Nigerian public to intervene and uphold the principles of fairness and justice that should govern the nation’s healthcare system.
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