Follow Us on Google Discover
Nigerian locum doctors and other temporary healthcare personnel will work a maximum of 48 hours per week, including weekends, under a proposed national policy developed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The policy also limits continuous duty to 24 hours and introduces mandatory rest periods, restrictions on call duties and compensation for additional hours worked.
The development was disclosed by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in an update to members on the outcome of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s Committee on Regulation and Casualization of Doctors.
According to NARD, the committee developed the National Policy on the Engagement of Locum after extensive consultations to create a fairer and less exploitative framework for temporary healthcare personnel.
Also Read
Locum refers to healthcare personnel engaged temporarily to fill staffing gaps, rather than being employed in substantive permanent positions. The policy therefore seeks to regulate how such workers are recruited, paid and scheduled, as well as their welfare and eventual eligibility for permanent appointment.
What they are saying
Under the proposed framework, healthcare institutions would have to ensure that locum personnel do not exceed the prescribed weekly workload, while additional hours must be properly compensated.
The policy states:
- “Healthcare personnel shall work a maximum of 48 hours per week, including weekends. Excess hours must be appropriately compensated.”
The framework would also prohibit healthcare personnel from working beyond 24 consecutive hours, including call duty.
- Workers would be entitled to at least 12 hours between shifts and a mandatory 24-hour rest period after weekday and weekend calls. They would also receive a one-hour break after six hours of continuous work.
Call duties would be limited to two per week and one weekend call per month, with institutions expected to distribute them equitably among healthcare personnel.
The policy further requires excess working hours to be documented, monitored and either compensated or balanced with structured time off.
Other changes under the policy
The proposed framework also seeks to change how locum workers are recruited and retained.
Initial locum contracts would not exceed six months, with only one additional six-month renewal allowed. Continuous engagement for 12 months would make the position eligible for permanent appointment.
- The policy would also standardise remuneration in line with the government’s Scheme of Service. Locum workers would be paid monthly and receive payslips, while also being entitled to government-approved leave, public holidays and occupational insurance coverage.
- Hospitals would be prohibited from using locum arrangements as a permanent substitute for substantive recruitment or as a means of exploiting healthcare workers.
Institutions would also be required to provide orientation for locum personnel, safe working environments, adequate call rooms and refreshments during prolonged calls or shifts. The policy calls for burnout prevention measures as part of the welfare provisions.
Either party could terminate a locum contract with one month’s notice or payment in lieu, while outstanding entitlements would have to be settled within 14 days of termination.
Why the changes matter
The proposed restrictions come amid longstanding concerns over excessive workloads and staffing shortages in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
In September 2025, Oluwafemi Rotifa, a resident doctor at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, died after reportedly collapsing following a 72-hour shift. The circumstances surrounding his death were later disputed by the Nigeria Medical Association in Rivers State, which said he had been unwell and was not on duty when he died.
The incident nevertheless renewed attention on the workload faced by Nigerian doctors, particularly amid a shortage of medical personnel.
- Nigeria has about four doctors per 10,000 people, according to World Health Organisation data, putting the country below the WHO’s recommended threshold of 4.45 doctors per 10,000 population.
The shortage has also been compounded by the migration of Nigerian doctors abroad, increasing pressure on those remaining in the country’s hospitals.
What you should know
The development comes against the backdrop of repeated disputes between NARD and the Federal Government over the welfare and working conditions of resident doctors.
- In January, resident doctors announced plans to resume a nationwide strike over the government’s failure to fully implement agreements reached after an earlier industrial action. The disputes included outstanding allowances, salary-related issues and funding for medical residency training.
- In April, NARD again suspended a planned indefinite strike after renewed government commitments on outstanding allowances, salary arrears and training funding.
By August 10, the association had once again suspended planned nationwide industrial action following further engagements with the Federal Government.
The repeated suspensions followed commitments from the government to address outstanding demands, but NARD has continued to push for implementation of agreements covering doctors’ welfare and working conditions.
The proposed locum policy adds another dimension to those concerns by introducing national rules governing working hours, rest periods, remuneration and the treatment of temporary healthcare personnel.
