The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) has called on the Nigerian government to urgently address the acute shortage of academic staff in the country’s medical institutions and to settle outstanding entitlements owed to its members.
In a communiqué issued following its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on 5 July in Abuja, NAMDA President Dr. Nosa Orhue said the government’s failure to address the concerns of medical academics was worsening both the education and health sectors.
Dr Orhue demanded the immediate payment of withheld salaries of NAMDA members arising from the 2022 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, stressing that NAMDA is not affiliated with ASUU and should not be penalised for its industrial actions.
Call for Institutional Reforms and Separation of Programmes
The association urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to separate BSc degree programmes in Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Biochemistry from the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. According to NAMDA, this would reduce lecturers’ workload and enhance the quality of medical education.
In addition, the association demanded a review of the 2009 academic staff agreement specific to medical lecturers and a revision of the current disbursement model for earned academic allowances and arrears.
NAMDA also rejected the discriminatory hazard allowance circular currently in circulation, calling for a unified and equitable approach.
Pension, Allowances, and Structural Injustice
Dr Orhue condemned the non-implementation of special pension benefits for hospital-based academics, as provided under Circular 1 of 1991 and the Pension Reform Act 2014.
He also criticised the failure to implement full pension benefits for medical professors, contrary to the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012.
He further decried the non-payment of arrears, including the 25/35 percent salary increment, clinical duty allowances, and accoutrement allowances to medical academics in universities and research institutions.
NAMDA demanded the immediate withdrawal of NSIWC Circular No. SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646, issued on 27 June 2025, calling for it to be replaced with one aligned to existing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) of 2001, 2009, and 2014.
The association also called for correction of salary relativity between CONHESS and CONMESS, pointing out that its members are also part of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and are remunerated under CONMESS.
Demand for Pay Equity with Overseas Technical Aid Programme
The NEC criticised the Federal Government’s deployment of Nigerian doctors to St. Lucia under the Technical Aids Corps Scheme, at a salary of ₦3 million (approx. $2,000) per month. NAMDA demanded the same minimum monthly salary for the lowest-paid medical academic in Nigeria.
Dr Orhue said the NEC fully endorsed the NMA’s long-standing demands for an immediate review of the CBA and called for the release of agreed allowances as negotiated with the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN).
NAMDA also:
- Demanded full implementation of the scarce skills allowance for consultants.
- Called for specialist allowance payments for all medical and dental practitioners.
- Urged immediate implementation of a new minimum wage for house officers, in line with the 2024 CONMESS circular.
- Requested universal application of CONMESS across all levels of government.
- Called for the retention of professional allowance relativity, especially call duty allowance.
- Opposed the MDCAN’s reclassification of membership to Category B in the specialist cadre.
- Demanded immediate release of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025.
- Called for a standard retirement age of 65 years for all healthcare professionals and 70 years for medical consultants.
Recall of Dismissed Doctors and Industrial Action Threat
NAMDA urged the government to recall and regularise all medical doctors dismissed from institutions such as the National Hospital Abuja and the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, in accordance with a resolution of the National Assembly.
Commending the NMA’s 21-day ultimatum to the government, NAMDA issued its own 15-day notice to compel action, warning that failure to meet its demands could trigger a national industrial crisis in both the health and education sectors.