By Chioma Obinna
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Branch, on Monday took a swipe at the Federal and State governments over poor health funding, welfare neglect, and what it described as “deliberate erosion of medical salary relativity,” warning that Nigeria has now become a major exporter of doctors after India.
Speaking at a press briefing to mark the 2025 Annual General Meeting/Annual General Conference, AGM/AGC, of the association, themed “A Critical Appraisal of Nigeria’s Budgetary Allocations to Health: Negotiating for Better Medical Salary Scale and Relativity for Medical Doctors”, the Lagos NMA Chairman, Dr. Saheed Babajide, said it was shameful that despite rising government revenues, health remains grossly underfunded while doctors are overworked, underpaid, and driven out of the country.
“The president himself boasts that Nigeria has money and has cleared debts. If the government is getting more revenue, why are we still on 5 per cent health allocation instead of 15 per cent as agreed in the Abuja Declaration?” Babajide queried.
“Any government that has not achieved at least 8 per cent allocation is a failure. Let’s not deceive ourselves. Nigeria has the capacity and financial strength to fund health properly but has chosen not to prioritise it.”
“Nigeria’s 2025 budget earmarked ₦2.48 trillion for health, representing just 5.18 per cent of total expenditure, far below the 15 per cent continental target.
According to Babajide, the consequence is collapsing hospitals, poor working conditions, and mass emigration of health professionals.
“Nigeria has become the epicentre of health worker export after India. The government has turned doctors into its second-largest export commodity after crude oil,” he lamented.
Speaking on welfare, Babajide condemned the July and August 2025 salary cuts imposed by the State Treasury Office on Lagos State-employed doctors and demanded their immediate reversal.
“We reject any reduced or distorted salary structure for doctors in Lagos. At the very least, the pre-April 2025 salary must be restored from September. Given the crushing workload and economic realities in Lagos,” he said, our members deserve more, not less.
The NMA also decried the continued non-provision of call-duty meals and unpaid skipping arrears at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, describing the situation as “welfare sabotage” with direct consequences on patient care.
Continuing, the association further faulted the continued stay of Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye as Acting Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, describing it as “sacrilegious” and a breach of extant rules. “How can one hand over to himself? His tenure has expired, yet he remains in office while still contesting for a second term. We call on the Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, to end this reign of impunity immediately,” Babajide stated.
He also renewed calls for the adoption of a single five-year tenure for Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of tertiary health institutions to prevent abuse of power.
He explained that this year’s NMA conference, will feature Prof. Edamisan Temiye as the keynote speaker. Sub-themes include medico-legal challenges in practice, with panelists from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Lagos Ministry of Justice, law enforcement, and legal experts.
Other activities for the weeklong event include medical outreach, quiz competitions, football matches, commissioning of the rehabilitated Lagos SCID Panti Clinic, Jumat service, and a dinner.
To policymakers, Saheed urged the Minister of Health and commissioners to stop focusing on “commissioning projects and chasing research partnerships” at the expense of manpower.
“The reality is simple—without health workers, there is no healthcare. Government must stop chasing shadows and face the real problem: doctors are leaving in droves, and those left behind are being beaten down by poor welfare and terrible working conditions,” he stressed.
He warned that unless urgent steps are taken to improve funding, restore salary relativity, and provide conducive working conditions, Nigeria risks a deeper health emergency.
“We are committed to constructive engagement, but make no mistake, we will take firm action where necessary to defend the dignity of our profession and the health rights of Nigerians,” Babajide stated.
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