NMA Urges FG To Implement 65-Year Retirement Age For Clinical Health Workers  

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged the federal government to immediately implement the 65-year retirement age for clinical health workers, saying the measure would help retain experienced professionals amid Nigeria’s shortage of skilled healthcare personnel.

NMA president, Dr Afekhide Omoti, made the call on Friday in Abuja during a press briefing held after the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

The meeting, which brought together representatives of medical doctors from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, held from August 24 to 28, 2026.

Omoti said the delay in implementing the policy was worrying, particularly as Nigeria continued to lose experienced doctors and other health professionals to migration.

“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,” he said.

The NMA president therefore urged the federal government to “urgently implement the retirement age of 65 years for clinical health workers without undue and unnecessary limitations.”

According to him, extending the retirement age would serve as an important palliative measure while the country works towards addressing the broader challenges of healthcare workforce shortages and migration.

The association said the retirement age formed part of a broader set of concerns reviewed at the NEC meeting, including healthcare infrastructure, workers’ welfare, insecurity, migration, drug and substance abuse, as well as poor road infrastructure.

While acknowledging government investments in healthcare facilities, Omoti stressed that infrastructure alone could not address the challenges confronting the sector without adequate investment in the health workforce.

“Infrastructure alone cannot guarantee an effective health system without a motivated, adequately protected and properly remunerated health workforce,” he said.

The NMA consequently urged the government to complement investments in infrastructure with increased support for healthcare professionals, noting that hospitals and other health facilities could not provide quality services without sufficient numbers of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other skilled personnel.

It also linked the call for an increased retirement age to the persistent challenge of brain drain, attributing the migration of health professionals to difficult working conditions, insecurity, inadequate remuneration, limited career opportunities and other systemic challenges.

“This trend must be urgently reversed,” Omoti said.

The association further called for the conclusion and implementation of the outstanding collective bargaining agreement between the federal government and health workers, urging that the process be completed early enough for its financial implications to be captured in the 2027 budget.

According to the NMA, prolonged delays in addressing the concerns of health workers had fuelled dissatisfaction and contributed to the migration of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

The association also raised concerns over the impact of insecurity on healthcare workers and called for improved protection for medical personnel and health facilities, particularly in vulnerable communities.

Omoti disclosed that a medical practitioner from Niger State had reportedly remained in captivity 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 NMA also called on governments at all levels to improve access roads to healthcare facilities, particularly in rural and underserved communities, noting that poor road networks delay emergency response, hinder referrals and make it difficult for health workers to reach patients.

On drug and substance abuse, the association urged the government to declare the growing problem among Nigerian youths a national public health priority and expand mental health and addiction treatment services across the country.

Among its broader demands, the NMA called for policies to retain and motivate healthcare professionals, appropriate tax relief for health workers, improved security, implementation of the 65-year retirement age and stronger investment in the health workforce.

Omoti said the association remained committed to constructive engagement with governments and other stakeholders in finding lasting solutions to the challenges confronting the healthcare system.

“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,” he said.

The NMA maintained that implementing the 65-year retirement age would help preserve institutional knowledge and expertise within the health system while longer-term measures are pursued to tackle workforce shortages and the migration of healthcare professionals.