Nigeria has continued to grapple with a shortage of medical personnel, driven largely by migration in search of better working conditions and pay abroad.
KThe Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved a N200,000 increase in doctors’ monthly salaries, alongside a N100,000 tax-free allowance for house officers, to attract and retain medical professionals in the state.
The Commissioner for Health in Delta, Joseph Onojaeme, announced this on 7 March during a press briefing.
He described the new package as part of the governor’s “MORE Special Allowance.”
MORE is an acronym for Meaningful development, Opportunities for all, Realistic reforms, and Enhanced peace and security. It is the catchphrase of Mr Oborevwori’s administration.
Mr Onojaeme said the adjustment raises the salary of entry-level doctors to N570,000 monthly from N370,000, while house officers will now earn above N350,000, up from over N250,000.
He said the decision followed concerns about the low number of doctors participating in an ongoing recruitment exercise targeting more than 700 health workers.
“Despite receiving over 6,000 applications, the number of doctors who turned up fell short of expectations,” the commissioner said, adding that the enhanced remuneration is expected to reverse the trend.
He assured that the recruitment process would remain strictly merit-based and free of any inducement.
Nigeria has continued to grapple with a shortage of medical personnel, driven largely by migration in search of better working conditions and pay abroad.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors recently reported that 18,949 doctors left the country between 2005 and 2024, with 2024 recording the highest number of exits at 3,974.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, recently said that Nigeria has lost billions of naira due to doctors’ migration.
Findings by PREMIUM TIMES show that Delta State appears to have made budgetary provisions for the salary increase. The state’s 2026 budget allocates N31.18 billion to personnel costs in the health sector, up from N29.08 billion in 2025.
