The Federal Government on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to the successful conclusion of the ongoing job evaluation in the health sector as part of efforts to arrive at fair salaries in the sector, as part of the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process.
This is as the government described the job evaluation exercise as ‘critical to achieving a fair, evidence-based and sustainable remuneration structure for health professionals’.
The commitment was reiterated at a meeting of the Government Side of the ongoing Health Sector CBA negotiations, chaired by the Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, alongside Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health.
Dingyadi, speaking at the event, said the decision to prioritise job evaluation was aimed at providing an objective basis for determining the relative worth, responsibilities, skills, qualifications and working conditions associated with the various health professions and cadres in the Public Service.
The job evaluation process, BusinessDay gathered, was introduced as part of the long-lasting measures to address the issue of salaries and strikes, which had almost crippled the Nigerian healthcare system.
The negotiations had covered areas such as remuneration, working conditions, professional development and welfare, with the government adding that it remained committed to addressing the concerns of health workers within the framework of constructive dialogue and collective bargaining.
The Minister explained that the exercise was particularly important in view of the differing positions and historical agreements involving various health professional groups, which had contributed to longstanding issues of relativity, parity and salary structures within the sector.
BusinessDay gathered that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is undertaking the job evaluation exercise to establish appropriate placement for health professionals and cadres
It is also expected that the outcome will provide a credible basis for subsequent discussions on salary adjustments and other outstanding issues under the CBA.
According to Dingyadi, the government considers it necessary to allow the technical process to run its course rather than take decisions that could create fresh disparities or further complicate industrial relations in the health sector.
He emphasised that job evaluation should not be interpreted as a postponement or abandonment of collective bargaining, but as a strategic step designed to strengthen the bargaining process with objective data and ensure that eventual agreements are equitable, transparent and sustainable.
The Minister recalled that the Health Sector Collective Bargaining Committee was formally inaugurated in August 2025 to provide a structured platform for engagement with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and other stakeholders.
The Federal Government said it recognises the invaluable contributions of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists and other health professionals to the nation’s healthcare system and remains committed to ensuring that their welfare is addressed within a framework that promotes equity, industrial harmony and uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
It also reiterated that dialogue and collective bargaining remain the preferred mechanisms for resolving outstanding issues in the health sector, urging all parties to approach the process in good faith and with a shared commitment to finding lasting solutions.
The Federal Government therefore assured health workers and the Nigerian public that the CBA process remains an important component of its efforts to strengthen industrial relations, improve workforce welfare and build a more stable and effective health system.
The Minister added that government ‘remains committed to a fair, transparent and evidence-based resolution of all outstanding issues in the health sector’.
Present at the meeting were the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation; the Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission; representatives of the Honourable Ministers of Finance and Justice; representatives of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.