In a move aimed at restoring stability in the health sector, the Nigerin Government has lifted the embargo on health workers’ salaries after JOHESU called off its 84-day strike.
A memo from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, signed by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, instructed the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to immediately process the withheld January 2026 salaries for JOHESU members.
The earlier suspension had been enforced under the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy during the strike.
The directive follows an agreement reached on February 5, 2026, between the Federal Government, JOHESU, and representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). In line with the settlement, JOHESU agreed to suspend its industrial action, which began on November 15, 2025, over the delayed implementation of the revised Consolidated Health Salary Structure.
The ministry described the lifting of the salary embargo as an act of good faith, aimed at promoting industrial harmony within the health sector. JOHESU members in federal tertiary health institutions are now set to receive their January salaries without further delay, with instructions issued to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to facilitate immediate payment.
The resolution marks a significant step toward stabilising the nation’s health sector and restoring normal service delivery across federal hospitals.
