NMA Lagos Urges Governor Sanwo-Olu to Extend Retirement Age for Health Workers to 65

 



The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently approve the extension of the retirement age for health workers from 60 to 65 years, citing a worsening healthcare crisis due to the mass migration of medical professionals.


In a letter dated June 5, 2025, and jointly signed by the NMA Lagos Chairman, Dr. Saheed Kehinde, and Deputy Secretary, Dr. Olusola Soyinka, the association emphasized that extending the retirement age is critical to retaining seasoned medical personnel and mitigating the growing shortage of healthcare professionals caused by brain drain.


The association's appeal comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a similar retirement age extension for federal health workers—a policy the NMA insists must now be implemented at the state level, particularly in Lagos, which faces a disproportionate healthcare burden.


Currently, Lagos State has an estimated 7,000 doctors serving a population of nearly 30 million people—an alarmingly low doctor-to-patient ratio. Speaking in an interview, Dr. Kehinde warned that the healthcare system is at a tipping point.


“We are facing a healthcare emergency,” he said. “As the population grows, infrastructure can be expanded, but who will operate it? Our professionals are leaving in droves. If we don't retain the ones still here, the system will collapse.”


He further lamented that experienced doctors are being forced to retire at the height of their competence—around age 60—or are rehired under short-term contract arrangements that diminish their dignity and limit their effectiveness.


“The current policy pushes doctors out just when their expertise is most needed. Instead of benefiting from their years of experience, we rehire them as contract staff with little regard for their value,” Dr. Kehinde stated.


He also criticized the government’s strategy of expanding medical school admissions without addressing the core issues behind the brain drain, such as poor welfare packages, extreme mental stress, and substandard facilities.


“Increasing the number of medical students without fixing the root problems is like pouring water into a leaking bucket—we’re just training more doctors to send abroad,” he warned.


Dr. Kehinde pointed out that Lagos State has already extended the retirement age for teachers, lecturers, and judges, and urged the government to demonstrate the same commitment to healthcare professionals.


“The time for action is now. Our health system cannot afford to lose more of its most experienced hands,” he concluded.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Four Pulley Limited ( FPL Media ) — Setting the Gold Standard of Outdoor Advertising in Nigeria

Image
In the fast paced visual culture of Lagos, outdoor advertising remains one of the most powerful tools for brand visibility. Among the many players in the space, one company consistently rises above the rest, Four Pulley Limited, also known as FPL Media.  This billboard company in Lagos has quietly and confidently established itself as a leader in Nigeria’s out-of-home advertising landscape. From high-impact LED billboards along Lekki Expressway to eye-catching lamp pole ads that line major roads in Victoria Island and Ikoyi, FPL Media is everywhere and for good reason. They are the silent force behind some of the most mind-blowing billboard campaigns in Nigeria, with visuals so striking they often become landmarks in their own right. More than just a billboard company in Nigeria, Four Pulley Limited is a full-scale outdoor advertising agency, offering services that include large-format unipoles, LED digital displays, lamp pole branding, and more. Their strategic placement and aesth...
Read more

Why Outdoor Advertising Still Works in 2025 – And How Major Brands Are Making Use of Out of Home Media.

Image
  In an age where digital ads flood our screens every second, it’s easy to assume that outdoor advertising is outdated. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In 2025, out-of-home (OOH) advertising is not just surviving, it’s also thriving, and major brands are taking full advantage. It’s currently the year 2025 and honestly, even if it were 3025, there’s two things that definitely wouldn’t change in a metropolitan city like Lagos: pedestrians and billboards. It’s the one form of advertising so physical, so present, that it becomes part of the community.  From Lagos to Abuja, advertising agencies like FPL Media are placing top-tier billboards, wrapping buses, and lighting up cities with creative, physical ads that can’t be scrolled past or blocked. In Nigeria, where the streets are alive with movement and daily traffic, outdoor ads remain one of the most effective ways to be seen, remembered, and they create brand awareness that digital media could never dream to match...
Read more

Lagos Plastic Ban 2025: What’s In and What’s Out

Image
  Dear Lagosians, A few months ago, you may have noticed that takeout food packs and some plastic items were banned in Lagos. This decision was made by the Lagos State Government in 2024 . If you’ve been wondering why this happened and how far the ban goes , here’s what you need to know: The Lagos State Government has explained that the ban on single-use plastics , starting July 1, 2025 , will NOT include plastic bottles (PET), water sachets, or nylon bags that are thicker than 40 microns . This clarification was made by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab , on Tuesday. He said there was confusion and misinformation suggesting the ban would cover all types of single-use plastics. Wahab confirmed that the enforcement of the ban will begin on July 1 , after an 18-month grace period which started in January 2024 . Speaking during a visit by Tetra Pak West Africa at his office in Alausa, Ikeja , Wahab explained that the ban was made to prot...
Read more