Nigeria’s labour movement is preparing for a nationwide showdown as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) jointly issued a 14‑day ultimatum to the Federal Government.
The unions, acting in solidarity with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), warned that failure to meet the demands of aggrieved health workers would trigger mass industrial action across multiple sectors.
In a joint statement signed by TUC Secretary, Dr. N.A. Toro, and NLC Acting General Secretary, Comrade Benson Upah, the unions accused the government of deliberately refusing to implement the 2021 Technical Committee report on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
“The continued delay is no longer an administrative lapse; it is a conscious act of injustice, bad faith, and institutional disrespect to health workers and organised labour,” the statement read.
The unions said the ultimatum, effective January 23, 2026, demands immediate implementation of the CONHESS adjustment.
“Failure to comply within fourteen days will compel organised labour to mobilise all Nigerian workers nationwide, across both public and private sectors, for total and coordinated industrial action,” they warned.
The planned action would include mass protests, picketing of health institutions and government offices, and a nationwide withdrawal of services until the issue is resolved.
Selective Justice Alleged
The unions criticised the government for implementing the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors backdated to January 2014, while refusing to apply the same adjustment for CONHESS covering other health professionals.
“This selective justice and discriminatory application of policy within the same sector expose the insincerity of the government’s commitment to fairness, equity, and industrial harmony,” the statement added.
According to the unions, repeated interventions and engagements by labour leaders have been met with excuses rather than action.
“Despite restraint exercised in the interest of peace, the Ministry of Health has remained arrogantly unresponsive. This attitude amounts to a gross abuse of trust and a direct challenge to organised labour,” they said.
The unions stressed that the ultimatum is final and irrevocable, insisting that the government must act without further delay or equivocation.
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