JOHESU Demands All-Inclusive Retirement Policy

Health workers under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have protested the revised retirement age policy announced by the federal government, describing it as discriminatory.Reacting to the development, it said the policy is selective and favours one cadre within the system, and warned that that would erode teamwork and effective healthcare delivery in the country.In a document jointly signed by National Chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir and  Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, the body argued that the selective circular undermines equity and fairness in the system, and marginalised non-physician professional health workers.

JOHESU called for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention to ensure that no group is discriminated against in such delicate human capacity management policy.In the document addressed to President Tinubu, JOHESU expressed grave concern over the sudden reversal in policy which it claimed was in favour of one cadre within the health system, stressing that healthcare is a multidisciplinary endeavour and no single cadre can function independently of others.

The statement partly reads: “JOHESU responsibly and respectfully calls for an all-inclusive and non-discriminatory circular on retirement age from the HOCSF, to include all health workers and non-hospital-based staff working in the health sector, through a compelling and progressive amendment of the circular of December 31, 2025. It is on record that over three months ago, we drew the attention of the office of HOCSF to the plots and schemes of the FMOH and its cohort to truncate our signed MoU at FML & E including the representative of FMOH&SW as explicitly stated above.

“In line with due process, we demand with honour a circular that is in alignment with the FG-JOHESU MoU of June 4, 2023.”

JOHESU explained that it has championed the campaign for an increase in retirement age for over 15 years, noting that the demand featured prominently in all eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed with the federal government between 2014 and 2024. The union alleged that while the agitation was initially resisted by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and some professional bodies, those same groups have now benefited disproportionately from the policy.

The union recalled that during negotiations following its June 2023 industrial action, it highlighted existing provisions allowing university staff to retire at 65 years, while professors retire at 70.

It further explained that on this basis, “JOHESU demanded an increase in the retirement age of all health workers from 60 to 65 years, with a 70-year ceiling for all health consultants.”

It noted that the National Council on Establishments rejected the proposal on four occasions, including in December 2025.

JOHESU further claimed that it was through its intervention that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment directed the FMOH to present the issue of retirement age increase to President Tinubu for consideration by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which was eventually approved.

However, the union alleged that following the approval, the spirit and letter of the agreement were altered.

According to JOHESU, the FMOH subsequently constituted what it described as a manipulative committee to advance selective implementation of the policy.

The union alleged that the committee comprised a handpicked nominee of JOHESU, a representative of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), one representative each of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), as well as core representatives of the FMOH, some of whom were physicians.