The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has faulted the Federal Government’s decision to deploy Nigerian doctors to Saint Lucia and other Caribbean nations under a new Technical Manpower Assistance (TMA) agreement, describing it as “inexcusable” given the “deteriorating” working conditions and neglect of medical professionals at home.
“Exporting doctors while undermining their welfare at home is inexcusable,” the NMA said in a statement dated Thursday, July 3, 2025, and signed by its Secretary General, Dr Benjamin Sichey Egbo.
The association expressed “deep concern and dismay” over the government’s move, arguing that it contradicted the reality faced by many Nigerian doctors, who are “struggling with poor remuneration, unpaid allowances, hazardous working conditions, and widespread burnout.”
“This move is a deeply troubling contradiction and an attempt to bolster Nigeria’s international image while failing to meet basic obligations owed to doctors toiling hard within the country,” the statement read.
The NMA said Nigerian doctors had been subjected to “chronic delays” in the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), non-implementation of previously agreed welfare packages, and inconsistent application of the CONMESS salary structure.
These challenges, the association added, have led to mass emigration of doctors, excessive workloads for those who remain, rising stress levels, and even preventable deaths, all of which contribute to worsening public health outcomes in the country.
Just a day earlier, on Wednesday, the NMA issued a separate 21-day ultimatum to the government to address its demands, including the withdrawal of a controversial circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), resolution of outstanding allowances, and respect for the professional autonomy of Nigerian doctors.
While affirming its support for international collaboration and regional development, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) stated that it is “morally unjustifiable” for the government to export healthcare workers while paying them significantly more than their counterparts serving at home.
The association drew attention to the glaring disparity in earnings between Nigerian doctors deployed abroad and those working within the country.
According to the NMA, the Saint Lucian government pays its highest-earning doctors ₦131.7 million per annum. In contrast, Nigerian doctors deployed to Saint Lucia under the Technical Manpower Assistance agreement receive ₦40.8 million annually from the Nigerian government.
Meanwhile, doctors serving within Nigeria earn an average of only ₦11.9 million per annum. “We are encouraging brain drain while patients suffer. It is indefensible,” the association noted.
Bilateral Agreement
On Wednesday, the Federal Government announced plans to send Nigerian professionals—including doctors, teachers, and agriculturists—to Saint Lucia and other Caribbean countries under a newly signed Technical Manpower Assistance (TMA) agreement.
The agreement, signed in Castries, Saint Lucia, forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader foreign policy agenda to promote South-South cooperation and reconnect with the African diaspora in the Caribbean.
Yusuf Buba Yakub, Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC), signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Janelle Modeste-Stephen, Acting Permanent Secretary at Saint Lucia’s Ministry of External Affairs, signed on behalf of the host nation.
Describing the agreement as “a great achievement,” Yakub said it reflected President Tinubu’s directive to provide technical aid to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Under the agreement, Nigerian volunteers are to serve for two years, with Nigeria covering their allowances and logistics, while the host nations provide accommodation and local support.
Yakub also said that since August 2023, over 300 Nigerian professionals have been deployed to countries across Africa and the Caribbean, and more are scheduled to depart for Grenada and Jamaica in the coming days.
President Tinubu is currently on a state visit to Saint Lucia, the first leg of a two-nation tour of the Caribbean and South America. On Monday, he addressed a joint sitting of the Saint Lucian Senate and House of Assembly, where he announced a scholarship scheme for students from OECS member states to study in Nigerian universities, as well as a proposed visa waiver for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
Later that day, he was conferred with the title of Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia (K.C.S.L.), in recognition of his efforts to strengthen Africa-Caribbean relations.
