The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended its nationwide indefinite strike, now in its 84th day, following agreements reached with the Federal Government at an emergency conciliation meeting convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The decision was taken at an expanded emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of JOHESU held on Friday, February 6, 2026, in Abuja and virtually. The meeting reviewed the outcome of the February 5 conciliation talks aimed at resolving the trade dispute that triggered the strike on November 15, 2025.
In a communiqué signed by the National President, Comrade Kabir Ado Minijibir, and the National Secretary, Comrade Martins Egbanubi, JOHESU said the NEC, after exhaustive deliberations, unanimously voted to suspend the strike to allow for the implementation of the agreed terms of settlement with the Federal Government. The union consequently directed all its members nationwide to resume work with effect from midnight on Friday, February 6.
JOHESU said the strike was caused by the failure of the Federal Government and some state governments to address long-standing demands, particularly the non-implementation of adjustments to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which it noted has remained unresolved since similar adjustments were made to CONMESS in 2014.
The NEC expressed deep concern over the humanitarian and economic consequences of the prolonged industrial action, citing increased maternal and infant mortality, morbidity and fatalities across the health system.
It also noted, based on information from a reliable source, that the Federal Government lost nearly one trillion naira in internally generated revenue during the strike period.
According to the communiqué, previous efforts to resolve the dispute included two review meetings with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare held on January 15 and January 22, 2026, during which proposals and counter-proposals were exchanged.
Earlier conciliation meetings convened by the Ministry of Labour were described as largely unsuccessful until the emergency session of February 5, which was held following a 14-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
That emergency meeting, attended by the ministers responsible for labour, finance and health, representatives of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, as well as leaders of the NLC, TUC and JOHESU, produced a set of resolutions.
These include the restructuring of the ongoing collective bargaining agreement to address defects and implementation gaps between 2009 and 2026; the immediate commencement of negotiations on outstanding CONHESS adjustment issues exclusively under JOHESU; and the inclusion of budgetary provisions for the adjustment in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
Other agreements reached include the immediate withdrawal of the “no work, no pay” directive issued during the strike, payment of January 2026 salaries to affected workers, and assurances that no JOHESU member will be victimised, sanctioned or intimidated for participating in the industrial action.
The unions also warned that failure to fully implement the agreed terms would leave the NLC and TUC with no option but to deploy lawful industrial relations measures.
JOHESU expressed appreciation to individuals and institutions that intervened to resolve the crisis, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, the chairmen of the Senate and House health committees, hospital chief executives, professional bodies and traditional rulers, notably the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
The union also thanked the leadership of the NLC and TUC for their support and solidarity, as well as its members across affiliate unions, MHWUN, NUAHP, SSAUTHRIAI and NASU, for what it described as resilience and commitment throughout the strike.
While appreciating the public for their understanding, JOHESU said the strike resulted from persistent injustice and trust deficits in the health sector, urging the Federal and state governments to act with greater sensitivity and responsibility to prevent a recurrence of such hardship in the future.
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