Governor Alex Otti’s administration has taken a decisive step to transform Abia State’s healthcare delivery by approving a new salary structure for health workers—now aligned with federal pay scales—and by recruiting 771 additional professionals to fill critical gaps. Effective May 1, 2025, the Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS) brings doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied cadres onto parity with the Consolidated Medical and Health Salary Scales (CONMESS and CONHESS) used at the federal level. Governor Otti has also released funds to cover the emoluments of the newly recruited staff and directed the Ministry of Health to negotiate special packages to attract top-tier specialists in fields such as minimally invasive surgery, cardiac and neurosurgery, and oncology. These measures, coming amid a nationwide shortage of skilled health workers, promise to boost staff morale, curb the exodus of talent, and elevate the standard of care across all levels of the state’s health system.
Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, was sworn in as the fifth democratically elected Governor of Abia State on May 29, 2023, pledging to revitalize public services and prioritize welfare for state employees. From the outset, his administration has identified healthcare as a cornerstone of human capital development in Abia State.
On April 29, 2025, Governor Otti approved the Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS), effective May 1, 2025. ASHWOSS matches the federal Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, optometrists, laboratory scientists, and radiographers. By bringing state health workers onto an equal footing with their federal counterparts, the new scale directly addresses longstanding disparities in compensation that have driven workforce attrition.
A comprehensive needs assessment across public health facilities informed Governor Otti’s approval to recruit 771 additional healthcare professionals—including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, and radiographers. This infusion of talent is designed to alleviate staffing shortages, reduce patient wait times, and strengthen primary, secondary, and tertiary care services throughout Abia State.
Recognizing that competitive pay alone is insufficient without prompt remuneration, His Excellency released funds immediately to cover the salaries and emoluments of the newly recruited staff. Furthermore, to attract and retain specialists in critical and high-skill areas—such as minimally invasive and robotic surgery, anesthesia and intensive care, cardiac and neurosurgery, neonatology, interventional radiology, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopedics, and plastic surgery—the Governor has directed the Ministry of Health to negotiate tailored emolument packages on a case-by-case basis. These incentives aim to position Abia State as a hub for advanced medical care in the South-East region.
Nigeria faces a severe shortage of skilled health workers, with a density of only 1.83 per 1,000 population—well below WHO recommendations—constraining service delivery and exacerbating health disparities. In response, the Federal Ministry of Health has launched policy interventions, including expanding training quotas and providing in-service training for 120,000 health workers to elevate primary healthcare standards. Governor Otti’s state-level reforms complement these national efforts by improving compensation, boosting staffing numbers, and incentivizing specialist retention.
By aligning state health worker pay with federal scales, expanding the workforce, and offering competitive packages for specialists, Governor Alex Otti is setting a new benchmark for subnational health governance in Nigeria. These reforms are expected to enhance quality of care, improve staff morale, reduce brain drain, and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes for the people of Abia State.