A Nigerian medical official said no doctor in the country should earn less than N1 million per month [1].
The proposal addresses a growing crisis of medical brain-drain. As doctors leave Nigeria for better opportunities abroad, the domestic healthcare system faces a dwindling workforce capable of meeting public needs.
Dr. John Omotoso, president of the Association of Resident Doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu, advocated for the salary floor. He said the current exodus of health workers is linked to poor remuneration [1].
Omotoso said the lack of competitive pay makes it difficult for the nation to retain its trained medical professionals. The demand for a minimum monthly payment of N1,000,000 [1] is framed as a necessary step to stabilize the health sector.
Medical professionals in Nigeria have frequently cited economic instability, and inadequate working conditions, as primary reasons for emigration. The loss of these specialists creates a gap in care that often affects the most vulnerable populations in states like Ogun.
The Association of Resident Doctors said that without a significant shift in compensation, the trend of doctors seeking employment in other countries will continue. This migration of talent removes experienced clinicians from teaching hospitals, which are essential for training the next generation of Nigerian physicians.
“No doctor should earn below N1m monthly”
This demand highlights the widening gap between the cost of living and professional salaries in Nigeria's public health sector. By setting a specific numerical floor, the Association of Resident Doctors is attempting to quantify the economic incentive required to halt the 'brain-drain' and preserve the country's medical infrastructure.
