The Federal Government has announced plans to release ₦11.995 billion within the next 72 hours to clear outstanding arrears and allowances owed to doctors and other health workers across Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Deputy Director and Head of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Alaba Balogun, said the move is part of the government’s efforts to address long-standing welfare issues and restore industrial peace within the health sector.
According to the ministry, the decision followed a high-level meeting led by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, with the leadership of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) amid renewed agitation from medical practitioners.
This development comes in the wake of a nationwide strike that began on Saturday, involving over 11,000 resident doctors from 91 healthcare institutions across the country. The doctors had protested unpaid arrears, delayed allowances, and poor welfare conditions despite prior government promises.
The NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, revealed earlier in the week that the Federal Government owes health workers about ₦38 billion in accumulated allowances.
Balogun explained that the latest payment aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for an expedited settlement of all verified arrears.
“In collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health has already commenced payment of seven months’ arrears of the 25–35% upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), with ₦10 billion paid in August 2025,” the statement read.
He added that another ₦21.3 billion had been moved to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) account as of October 30, 2025, with disbursements already underway.
The Ministry further disclosed that ₦11.995 billion would be released within 72 hours to settle other arrears, including the long-awaited accoutrement allowance.
In addition, the Federal Government confirmed that ₦10.6 billion was disbursed in September 2025 as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, directly benefiting resident doctors nationwide.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to improving the welfare and motivation of healthcare workers, emphasizing that a stable and well-supported medical workforce remains the foundation of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
