The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics, (NAMDA) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude negotiations with the association on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and address the comprehensive minimum demands it presented to the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Committee, covering career progression, salary structure, professional and academic allowances, research support, earned academic allowances, governance reforms and improved funding of medical education.

The association which threatened to shut down all medical schools in the country if the federal government fails to attend its demands, expressed disappointment over the continued delay by the Federal Ministry of Education represented by the Alhaji Yayale led-FGN Expanded Renegotiation CBA Committee, in concluding negotiations with NAMDA despite several formal and informal communications and repeated efforts by the union to engage the Ministry in constructive dialogue.

Addressing journalists Tuesday in Abuja, President of NAMDA, Dr Nosa Lancy Orhue criticised the continued exclusion of NAMDA from critical decisions making processes affecting her members including membership of the IMC of the Presidential NEEDS assessment intervention adding that the government about 7 months ago concluded negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) but practically neglected NAMDA despite several efforts made by the association to meet with the Minister of Education .

He observed that the team from NAMDA’s side in the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proceedings on the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement, as it relates to Medical and Dental Academics, have presented a draft of its minimum demands to the government, through the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed led-FGN Expanded Renegotiation Committee.

Orhue pointed out the negotiation between the association and the federal government have been stalled, since 9th of April 2026, adding that all attempts made by the NAMDA side to encourage the government to present its response to its minimum demands was deliberately frustrated by the government

He argued that during this same period, the FGN concluded and sign agreements with more University based Unions to the exception of NAMDA creating serious agitation amongst Medical and Dental Academics in the Nigerian University System (NUS).

Orhue stated that this deliberate delay has caused non-implementation and loss of payment of academic and professorial allowances inclusive of Earned Academic Allowances/ Excess Workload Allowance (EAA/EWL) for members of NAMDA adding that this has damaged their morale with the risk of brain drain (Japa Syndrome) with the consequent negative impact on the rate and quality of training of medical doctors for the nation’s health services and educational sector.

He reaffirmed that the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) should continue to be the payment platform for Medical and Dental academics as this fits into the FEC approval of 1990 and addresses the longstanding disparities in entry point, career progression, remuneration, pension benefits and other conditions of service affecting her members.

Orhue warned that under no circumstance will the medical and dental academics in the NUS accept any other salary structure except CONMESS as any attempt to forcefully do so will immediately result in an industrial action.

He noted that the desire of the government to increase the number of Medical and Dental Doctors graduating annually, while being commendable, is not being aggressively followed up by ensuring that the remuneration and welfare of those to train or produce such graduates are given the priority it deserves.

He said, ” The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association met on the 6th of July 2026 to review the state of affairs of the Union and the level of progress in the negotiations with the Federal Government on the welfare, remuneration and conditions of service of her members in Nigerian Universities and Tertiary Health Institutions”

“The effort of the Minister of Education to ensure that Medical Academics are paid appropriately commensurate with their counterparts in the health sector as contained in his communication with the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is commendable but has to be in line with the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of 1990 as contained in Circular 1, 1991. The FGN has since recognized the challenges of medical academics as far back as 1974 hence the decision of 1990”.

Orhue lamented that medical Academics above 65 years of age are forcefully migrated to CONUASS from CONMESS and in some cases forced to retire from the NUS contrary to relevant provisions of the Universities Miscellaneous Act 2012 as amended on retirement age in the NUS.

He rejected the forceful retirement or migration of her members above the age of 65 years old from CONMESS to CONUASS amounting to a demotion adding that this action by some universities amount to demotion, loss of pay and status with attendant pension loss.

Orhue stated that the NUC issued a circular dated 29th of April 2026 signed by Adewale Bakare, Acting Director, Directorate of the Executive Secretary’s Office with reference No. NUC/ES/138/Vol.66/104 directing the Vice Chancellors of all Nigerian Universities to pay professional allowances to deserving medical and dental doctors in the NUS but conveniently excluded medical and dental academics from being placed on CONMESS while unilaterally awarding the allowances to others outside the confines of the enabling circular with reference No. SWC/S/04/S.218/IV/876 dated 19th November 2025.

“The Federal Ministry of Education is beginning to succumb to the wishes of a sister union in the NUS that has insisted that NAMDA and CONUA should not be included as members of the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) of the Presidential NEEDS assessment intervention contrary to the initial position of the Minister of Education.”

He decried the non-implementation of the special pension benefits as approved in 1990 by the FEC and reaffirmed on the 24 th of July 2025nfor hospital-based academics (Hospital Consultants)

Orhue insisted that the implementation of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of 1990 as contained in Circular 1, 1991 should be the basis of remunerating Medical and dental academics in the NUS., stressing that NAMDA is keeping faith with the FEC approval of 1990 with the FGN haven recognized the peculiarity of her members as far back as 1974 hence the decision of 1990.

He warned that anything outside the framework of 1990 FEC approvals risk taking medical academics back to the career progression and welfare challenges that existed prior to 1974 and is not acceptable.

Orhue observed that the NEC accepted and adopted the content of the communication of the Minister of Education (FMOE) to the NSIWC on the official position of the ministry on implementation of welfare packages for NAMDA members in line with the Agreement between NAMDA and the FMOE) .

He demanded immediate release of an enabling instrument directing all Nigerian universities nationwide to implement the content of the communication to the NSIWC without discrimination.

Orhue called on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to ensure the immediate implementation of the special pension benefits as reaffirmed on the 24th of July 2025 contained in the CBA between the FG and NAMDA by requesting the Federal Ministry of Health to communicate the content of the CBA to Pension Commission (PENCOM) as she requested to enable commencement of payment to deserving retired Hospital consultants.

He reaffirmed NAMDA’s rejection of the imposition of PhD by NUC on medical academics in the NUS as the Fellowship qualifications contains the requirement needed for capacity for research, the training and teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Orhue emphasized that the NEC has resolved that the National Medical College of Nigeria (NMCN) should commence the award of PhD as the enabling act and court judgment already confers the power over postgraduate medical education on her and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

“The NMCN was further encouraged to as a matter of urgency commence the fellowship program in the specialties of medical physiology, medical biochemistry, human anatomy and pharmacology. NEC resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude negotiations with NAMDA and address the Association’s demands, after which industrial harmony will no longer be guaranteed” he added.

Orhue expressed the association’s commitment to constructive engagement and dialogue but warned that continued neglect of the legitimate demands of medical and dental academics would leave the Association with no option but to deploy all lawful trade union mechanisms to protect the rights and welfare of its members.

He reiterated NAMDA’S commitment to improving medical education in Nigeria and ensuring that medical and dental academics receive fair remuneration, equitable career progression and appropriate recognition for their critical role in training the nation’s healthcare workforce.

Orhue called on the Federal Government to urgently conclude negotiations with NAMDA in the interest of industrial harmony, uninterrupted medical education and the strengthening of Nigeria’s healthcare system.