Nigeria’s public hospitals have resumed operations nationwide following the suspension of an 84-day strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). The decision was reached after a marathon National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where union leaders unanimously agreed to return to work based on fresh commitments from the Federal Government to resolve long-standing salary issues.
The strike, which began on November 15, 2025, had crippled public healthcare services across the country, forcing many patients to rely on costly private facilities or forgo medical care entirely. JOHESU said the suspension followed firm assurances on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), a demand the union has pressed since 2014 to align its members’ pay with revisions previously granted to other health professionals.
Under the agreement, implementation of the salary adjustments is to commence immediately, with funding captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act and monitored by the union. The Federal Government also agreed to withdraw the “No Work, No Pay” policy applied during the strike, ensuring payment of January 2026 salaries and protection against victimisation or disciplinary action.
The breakthrough came after an emergency conciliation meeting on February 5 involving officials from the Ministries of Labour, Finance and Health, as well as the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. The talks were intensified by a 14-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, following weeks of stalled negotiations.
Health workers resumed duties at midnight on February 6. JOHESU leaders thanked the public for their patience and acknowledged the role of mediators, including the National Assembly leadership and traditional rulers, in facilitating the agreement. However, the union warned that failure to fully implement the terms could trigger a fresh round of industrial action.
As services gradually return, hospitals are beginning the task of attending to patients affected by the prolonged shutdown, even as broader concerns remain over persistent governance failures that allow disputes in the health sector to escalate into extended strikes.
