The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged the Federal Government to urgently implement a 65-year retirement age for clinical health workers, saying the policy would help retain experienced professionals amid Nigeria’s shortage of skilled healthcare personnel.
NMA President, Dr Afekhide Omoti, made the appeal on Friday in Abuja during a press briefing following the association’s National Executive Council meeting.
The NEC meeting brought together representatives of medical doctors from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and was held from August 24 to 28, 2026.
Omoti expressed concern over the continued delay in implementing the proposed retirement age, particularly as Nigeria continues to lose experienced doctors and other healthcare professionals to migration.
He said, “At a time when Nigeria is experiencing a significant shortage of skilled healthcare professionals due to migration and other factors, retaining experienced clinicians within the system is essential.”
The NMA president called on the Federal Government to “urgently implement the retirement age of 65 years for clinical health workers without undue and unnecessary limitations.”
According to Omoti, extending the retirement age could provide immediate relief as the country works to address its wider healthcare workforce shortage and the ongoing migration of professionals.
NMA Links Retirement Age to Brain Drain
The retirement-age demand was part of a broader review by the association of challenges affecting Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
The issues identified include inadequate healthcare infrastructure, workers’ welfare, insecurity, migration, drug and substance abuse and poor road networks.
While acknowledging government investment in healthcare infrastructure, Omoti stressed that physical facilities alone would not guarantee an effective healthcare system without sufficient attention to the professionals operating them.
He said, “Infrastructure alone cannot guarantee an effective health system without a motivated, adequately protected and properly remunerated health workforce.”
The association therefore called for infrastructure development to be matched with greater investment in healthcare personnel.
It warned that hospitals and other medical facilities cannot provide quality services without adequate numbers of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other trained professionals.
The NMA also connected the retirement-age issue to Nigeria’s worsening brain drain, pointing to poor working conditions, insecurity, inadequate remuneration, limited career opportunities and other systemic challenges as factors pushing health professionals to seek opportunities abroad.
“ This trend must be urgently reversed,” Omoti said.
NMA Seeks New Agreement for Health Workers
The association also called for the conclusion and implementation of the outstanding collective bargaining agreement between the Federal Government and health workers.
It urged the government to conclude the agreement early enough for its financial implications to be included in the 2027 budget.
According to the NMA, prolonged delays in addressing workers’ demands have contributed to dissatisfaction within the healthcare workforce and further encouraged doctors and other professionals to migrate.
Doctors Seek Better Security for Healthcare Workers
Beyond welfare and remuneration, the association expressed concern over insecurity affecting healthcare personnel and facilities.
The NMA called for stronger protection for medical workers, particularly those serving in vulnerable and underserved communities.
Omoti disclosed that a medical practitioner from Niger State had reportedly been held captive for about four months, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“Healthcare workers are essential to the survival and well-being of our communities. They should not have to choose between saving their patients and protecting their own lives,” he said.
The association also appealed to governments at all levels to improve roads leading to healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas.
According to the NMA, poor road infrastructure can delay emergency treatment, disrupt referrals and make it more difficult for healthcare workers to reach patients in need.
NMA Calls for Action on Drug Abuse and Mental Health
The NMA further called for drug and substance abuse among Nigerian youths to be recognised as a national public health priority.
It advocated an expansion of mental health and addiction treatment services across the country to address the growing challenges associated with substance abuse.
Among its broader demands, the association called for policies aimed at retaining and motivating healthcare professionals, appropriate tax relief for health workers, improved security, implementation of the 65-year retirement age and increased investment in the healthcare workforce.
NMA Wants Sustainable Healthcare Reforms
Omoti said the NMA remained committed to engaging constructively with the government and other stakeholders to develop lasting solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He said, “We cannot retain healthcare professionals in an environment where their lives are threatened. We cannot effectively address brain drain without improving the welfare and working conditions of healthcare workers.”
The demand comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with shortages of doctors and other healthcare professionals, alongside the migration of workers seeking improved working conditions and career opportunities abroad.
Although the Federal Government has introduced various measures to improve healthcare infrastructure and retain medical personnel, professional groups continue to demand better remuneration, improved working conditions, stronger career progression opportunities and enhanced security.
The NMA believes that raising the retirement age for clinical health workers to 65 would help preserve valuable institutional knowledge and experience within Nigeria’s healthcare system while longer-term measures to address workforce shortages and migration are implemented.
