Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Nigeria’s Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has officially suspended its 84‑day nationwide strike, bringing an end to one of the most prolonged industrial actions to date in the country’s health sector. The decision was taken after a series of high‑level negotiations between the union and the Federal Government, facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The indefinite strike, which began on November 15, 2025, had paralysed healthcare services across public hospitals, forcing many Nigerians to seek alternatives in private facilities amid widespread disruption of essential care. It was launched primarily over the non‑implementation of the reviewed Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), unresolved welfare concerns, and alleged government failure to honour previous agreements with health workers and their representatives.
In a communiqué issued after an emergency expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on February 6, 2026, JOHESU stated that it had reviewed the outcome of the conciliation meeting between union negotiators and federal government officials held the previous day. The NEC unanimously resolved to suspend the industrial action “to allow for the implementation of the Federal Government‑JOHESU terms of settlement.”
Key components of the agreement include the commencement of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, budgetary allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act to support adjustments to the CONHESS, and withdrawal of the “No Work, No Pay” directive that had been enforced against striking workers. The government also committed to immediate payment of January 2026 salaries owed to JOHESU members and gave assurances that no worker would be victimised or sanctioned for participating in the strike.
The suspension was hailed by many health sector stakeholders as a vital step toward restoring normal healthcare operations in public institutions nationwide, which had been severely disrupted for nearly three months. The prolonged shutdown was widely reported to have contributed to increased maternal and infant mortality, interrupted chronic care, and broader health system instability.
JOHESU’s leadership, led by National Chairman Kabiru Ado‑Minjibir and National Secretary Martin Egbanubi, thanked Nigerians for their patience during the crisis and acknowledged the support of national and organised labour bodies, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). The union also expressed appreciation for the interventions of legislative leaders, professional associations and traditional institutions that helped bridge the negotiation impasse.
Health services across the country are expected to resume fully as union members return to work. However, stakeholders have emphasised the need for continued collaboration between the government and health workers to ensure sustained improvements in working conditions, salary structures and broader sector reforms, with the aim of preventing future industrial actions that disrupt care delivery.
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