The Nigerian Government has inaugurated two high-level ministerial committees aimed at resolving long-standing industrial disputes in Nigeria’s health sector, particularly issues surrounding excessive work hours, locum engagement practices, and residency training certification.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed on Friday in Abuja by Alaba Balogun, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who inaugurated the committees, said the move forms part of broader reforms to strengthen the healthcare system, safeguard the welfare of health workers, and enhance patient safety nationwide.
Salako noted that unresolved concerns over prolonged work hours, uneven locum engagement, and certification challenges for resident doctors have repeatedly strained relations between the government and health sector unions, often resulting in industrial actions.
According to him, the first body the Ministerial Committee on Work Hour Regulation and Locum Engagement Policy was set up to address exhausting duty schedules and inconsistent engagement of health workers as locum officers across public hospitals.
He warned that excessive work hours pose serious risks to the mental and physical wellbeing of healthcare workers and compromise patient safety, especially against the backdrop of a global shortage of health professionals.
The minister cited World Health Organisation projections indicating a global health workforce shortfall of up to 11 million by 2030, adding that Nigeria has been particularly affected by the migration of health workers to Europe, North America and other developed economies.
“In the last 21 months, the Federal Government has adopted several measures to strengthen the health workforce, including the Health Workforce Migration Policy, easing bureaucratic bottlenecks to employment, improving remuneration, and expanding training quotas,” Salako said.
He revealed that about 14,444 health workers were employed in 2024, while 23,059 employments were approved in 2025, with more than 70 per cent being clinical staff, stressing that the newly inaugurated committees are expected to provide sustainable solutions to lingering disputes and foster industrial harmony in the health sector.
