NHIA workers have begun an indefinite strike, crippling health insurance operations nationwide over unmet welfare demands.
The union cites unpaid allowances, salary stagnation, and misuse of funds as reasons for the industrial action.
Health insurance operations across Nigeria have been thrown into disarray as the Joint Union of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike starting Monday, June 16, 2025. The decision follows what the union describes as management’s persistent neglect of its six-point demands.
The strike was announced through a circular dated June 11, 2025, signed by Union Chairman Comrade Achir Chris Iorver, Secretary Comrade Aina Sesam Benjamin, and three other senior executives. According to the circular, all NHIA offices across the country are to remain shut until further notice, with strict instructions for total compliance.
“This resolution was reached after a union congress, where the outcome of a June 5 meeting with NHIA management was reviewed. Dissatisfied with the lack of progress, we resolved to withdraw services immediately,” the union leadership stated. “No staff is to report for duty during the period of the strike.”
At the heart of the union’s grievances is the prolonged non-payment of outstanding allowances. Members are also demanding a comprehensive salary review to reflect Nigeria’s current economic climate, with the changes to take effect retroactively from August 2024 through May 2025.
Among their other demands is the immediate expulsion of external consultants allegedly embedded within the NHIA, who the union claims are undermining internal operations and staff welfare. They insist these consultants, many of whom are tied to private interests, are siphoning funds and occupying roles meant for qualified NHIA personnel.
In addition, the union is demanding an immediate halt to non-essential foreign trips by the NHIA Director-General and senior executives, particularly those not backed by proper documentation. It also wants an end to estacode payments for assignments that fall outside NHIA’s core mandate of providing health insurance services.
The union also raised red flags over the disbursement of billions of naira to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) for so-called service reviews. They allege these transactions lack transparency and violate basic public sector financial guidelines.
Calling for financial accountability, the union is insisting that all intervention funds be housed within NHIA’s accounts and subjected to an independent forensic audit. This, they say, is crucial to restoring financial discipline and public confidence in the agency’s operations.
A key part of the strike’s motivation, according to the union, is the stagnation in remuneration, with workers not having received any salary increase since 2014. With inflation rising sharply in recent years, the union says many staff have been pushed to financial breaking points.
“How can we cope? The last salary review was eleven years ago. Meanwhile, inflation rises daily. We are suffering,” the union lamented in its statement.
The union further criticized what it described as a worrying pattern of rewarding external consultants with lucrative contracts and incentives while neglecting the well-being of permanent NHIA staff. They claim this disparity has had damaging effects on morale and staff health.
“It’s painful to see external consultants well-funded while our dedicated staff are left behind. Some of our colleagues have even lost their lives due to stress and a lack of institutional support,” the circular added.
The strike, which has effectively shut down NHIA operations nationwide, is expected to severely disrupt access to health insurance services. This includes delays in claims processing, service authorizations, and operational support for enrollees across the country.
As the union holds its ground, there is growing pressure on the NHIA management to return to the negotiating table and address the workers’ concerns with urgency. Until then, thousands of Nigerians relying on the NHIA for health coverage could face prolonged service disruptions.
