The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has faulted the Federal Government’s newly issued circular on retirement age in the health sector, describing it as selective, discriminatory, and tilted in favour of a single cadre of health workers.
In an open letter jointly signed by its Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Ado, and its Secretary, Comrade Martin Egbanubi, the union said the circular, issued through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), favours mainly physicians while excluding other health professionals.
JOHESU said the selective application of the policy contradicts existing agreements reached with the Federal Government and undermines fairness within the health system. The union warned that the circular could weaken workforce morale by encouraging early retirement and the premature exit of experienced personnel who are vital to effective healthcare delivery.
According to the union, it has championed the campaign for an increase in the retirement age of health workers for approximately 15 years. JOHESU stated that the demand featured prominently in all eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) it signed with the Federal Government between 2014 and 2024.
The union recalled that when it initially raised the issue, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and some professional bodies in the sector strongly opposed the proposal. It added that during negotiations following the June 2023 strike, it drew attention to the retirement age structure in universities and their affiliated institutions, where staff retire at 65 years, while professors retire at 70 years.
JOHESU said it relied on this model to demand an increase in the retirement age for all health workers from 60 to 65 years, with health consultants retiring at 70 years, similar to professors in universities. However, it noted that the National Council on Establishments (NCE) rejected the proposal on four occasions, including in December 2025.
The union stated that it was at its instance that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment directed the FMOH to escalate the matter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which eventually approved an increase in retirement age.
JOHESU, however, alleged that following the approval, the FMOH and physician groups took control of the implementation process. It said a committee set up by the FMOH introduced the term “clinically skilled health workers” and restricted the 70-year retirement age exclusively to consultant physicians.
The union described this outcome as a deviation from its original demand, which was for all health consultants, irrespective of cadre.
JOHESU further stated that it had written to the FMOH as far back as September 2025, expressing its determination to reject what it termed the “mutilated spirit” of the FG–JOHESU MoU of June 4, 2023. According to the union, the agreement clearly stipulated that the increase from 60 to 65 years applied to all health workers, while retirement at 70 years was intended for all health consultants.
The union accused the FMOH and its agencies of pursuing policies that suppress non-physician health workers and weaken cohesion within the health sector. It stressed that healthcare delivery is multidisciplinary and that no single cadre can function effectively in isolation.
JOHESU warned that selectively extending the retirement age amounts to discrimination and violates principles of fairness, equal opportunity, and justice. It added that the circular erodes workforce morale and promotes early retirement and the loss of experienced personnel who constitute the institutional memory of the health system.
In its appeal, JOHESU called on the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to issue a new, inclusive, and non-discriminatory retirement age circular. The union said the revised policy should cover all health workers, including those who are not hospital-based, and must align strictly with the FG–JOHESU MoU of June 4, 2023.
JOHESU also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the matter and seek appropriate legal guidance, reaffirming its commitment to fairness, justice, and transparency in the public service.
