Healthcare Salaries in Nigeria 2027: Every Cadre Compared (CONHESS & CONMESS)
What every Nigerian health worker earns in 2027, side by side: nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists, doctors and dentists, from entry grade to senior level, with links to each full salary guide.
By Dr. Jethro Magaji
Duration
11 MINSQuick Answer
Nigerian government health workers are paid on two salary scales. Doctors and dental surgeons are on CONMESS and start at about ₦263,000/month (House Officer). Everyone else (nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists and other health professionals) is on CONHESS. Registered nurses start at about ₦119,959–₦155,990, and pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists usually start at ₦174,566 (CONHESS 8). At the top of the scales, directors on CONHESS reach ₦678,842 and directors on CONMESS ₦1,230,000+ a month.
Note: All figures are monthly basic salary taken from our CONHESS and CONMESS guides. The CONHESS figures are the official table published by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) (effective 29 July 2024, annual ÷ 12); the CONMESS figures are representative approximations until the current CONMESS table is transcribed. Allowances (shift, call duty, hazard, specialist) are paid on top. Check exact figures with NSIWC or your employer's HR department.
Every health worker's salary at a glance
| Profession | Salary scale | Typical entry grade | Entry pay (₦/month) | Typical senior grade | Senior pay (₦/month) | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary nurse | CONHESS | CONHESS 4–5 | ₦83,012–₦112,468 | CONHESS 5 | up to ₦112,468 | Nurse salary |
| Registered nurse | CONHESS | CONHESS 6 (diploma) · 7 (BSc) | ₦119,959 · ₦155,990 | CONHESS 11–12 | ₦264,310–₦376,644 | Nurse salary |
| Pharmacist | CONHESS | CONHESS 8 (intern) → 9 | ₦174,566 → ₦199,076 | CONHESS 13–15 | ₦360,706–₦678,842 | Pharmacist salary |
| Medical laboratory scientist | CONHESS | CONHESS 8 (intern) → 9 | ₦174,566 → ₦199,076 | CONHESS 13–14 | ₦360,706–₦525,486 | Lab scientist salary |
| Radiographer | CONHESS | CONHESS 8 (intern) → 9 | ₦174,566 → ₦199,076 | CONHESS 13–14 | ₦360,706–₦525,486 | Radiographer salary |
| Physiotherapist | CONHESS | CONHESS 8 (intern) → 9 | ₦174,566 → ₦199,076 | CONHESS 13–14 | ₦360,706–₦525,486 | Physiotherapist salary |
| Doctor | CONMESS | CONMESS 1 (House Officer) | ₦263,000 | CONMESS 5–7 (Consultant; usually 6) | ₦730,000–₦1,230,000+ | Doctor salary · Consultant salary |
| Dentist (dental surgeon) | CONMESS | CONMESS 1 (Dental House Officer) | ₦263,000 | CONMESS 5–7 (Consultant; usually 6) | ₦730,000–₦1,230,000+ | Dentist salary |
Entry pay is Step 1 of the entry grade. Senior pay runs from Step 1 of the lowest senior grade to the top step of the highest one. Directors of services reach CONHESS 15 (₦678,842); CONMESS 7 (₦1,230,000+) is the top consultant grade. CONHESS figures are the official scale (NSIWC circular SWC.04/T/210, annual ÷ 12); CONMESS figures are approximations. Grade placement varies with qualification, internship and employer, so each guide covers the details.
How the two scales work
- CONHESS (Consolidated Health Salary Structure) has 15 grade levels, and each grade has annual steps. Pay rises with promotion (a new grade) and with each year's step. → Full CONHESS step table
- CONMESS (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure) covers only doctors and dental surgeons, in 7 grade levels from House Officer (CONMESS 1) to the top consultant grade (CONMESS 7); consultants sit on CONMESS 5–7, usually 6. → Full CONMESS step table
- CONMESS pays more at every stage. A House Officer's starting pay (₦263,000) is higher than a CONHESS 10 officer's (₦228,813).
Want a specific figure, such as "CONHESS 7 Step 2" or "CONMESS 2"? The full step tables are in the CONHESS and CONMESS guides. This page compares careers; those pages hold the complete scales.
Who earns the most? Entry pay ranked
Compared against a newly registered nurse (CONHESS 6, Step 1, about ₦119,959/month):
| Starting role | Grade | Entry pay (₦/month) | vs. entry RN |
|---|---|---|---|
| House Officer (doctor or dentist) | CONMESS 1 | ₦263,000 | +119% |
| Pharmacist, lab scientist, radiographer or physiotherapist (intern) | CONHESS 8 | ₦174,566 | +46% |
| BSc registered nurse | CONHESS 7 | ₦155,990 | +30% |
| Diploma registered nurse | CONHESS 6 | ₦119,959 | — |
| Auxiliary nurse | CONHESS 4 | ₦83,012 | −31% |
The gap grows with seniority. Clinical nurses typically top out at CONHESS 12 (up to ₦376,644), pharmacists and other allied professionals reach CONHESS 13–15, and consultants sit on CONMESS 5–7 (₦730,000–₦1,230,000+, usually ₦1,020,000+ on CONMESS 6). Management roles such as Director of Nursing Services also reach CONHESS 13–15, so the top of CONHESS is open to every cadre.
Head-to-head: the comparisons people search for
A caution on comparing across scales: our CONHESS figures are the official table effective 29 July 2024 (NSIWC circular SWC.04/T/210), but our CONMESS figures are still approximations, because the CONMESS table of the same date has not yet been transcribed. Gaps between a CONMESS and a CONHESS role are therefore approximate.
Doctor vs nurse salary
A House Officer earns about ₦263,000 against ₦119,959–₦155,990 for a newly registered nurse, roughly 1.7–2.2×. At senior level, a consultant (₦730,000–₦1,230,000+, usually ₦1,020,000+ on CONMESS 6) earns about 2–3.3× a Chief Nursing Officer (CONHESS 12, up to ₦376,644). Doctors train much longer before they earn. → Full doctor vs nurse comparison
Pharmacy vs nursing salary
Pharmacists usually start at CONHESS 8 (₦174,566), which is ₦19,000–₦55,000 a month more than a registered nurse at CONHESS 6–7. In clinical roles, pharmacists also progress further, to CONHESS 13–15. Community pharmacy ownership changes the picture entirely (see going private). → Pharmacist salary guide · Nurse salary guide
Medical laboratory scientist (MLS) vs nursing salary
MLS graduates usually start at CONHESS 8 (₦174,566), one to two grades above an entry nurse, and senior lab scientists reach CONHESS 13–14 (₦360,706–₦525,486). → Lab scientist salary guide
Radiography vs nursing salary
Radiographers usually start at CONHESS 8 (₦174,566), compared with CONHESS 6–7 for nurses, and chief radiographers reach CONHESS 13–14. → Radiographer salary guide
Physiotherapy vs nursing salary
Physiotherapists usually start at CONHESS 8 (₦174,566), compared with CONHESS 6–7 for nurses, with senior physiotherapists at CONHESS 13–14. → Physiotherapist salary guide
Physiotherapist vs doctor salary
A doctor starts about 50% higher (₦263,000 on CONMESS 1 vs ₦174,566 on CONHESS 8). At the top, a consultant (₦730,000–₦1,230,000+) out-earns a senior physiotherapist (₦360,706–₦525,486) by a wide margin. Private physiotherapy practice narrows the gap. → Physiotherapist salary guide · Doctor salary guide
Pharmacist vs doctor salary
The entry pattern is the same as for physiotherapy: ₦174,566 (CONHESS 8) vs ₦263,000 (CONMESS 1). Pharmacy is the allied profession with the most direct route to business ownership, though. → Pharmacist salary guide
Public vs private sector
Our individual guides estimate that private employers typically pay:
| Scale | Private-sector premium (industry estimate) | Source guide |
|---|---|---|
| CONHESS cadres (nurses, pharmacists, MLS, radiographers, physios) | 15–30% above the CONHESS rate | Nurse · Pharmacist · Lab scientist |
| CONMESS cadres (doctors, dentists) | 30–60% above the CONMESS rate | Doctor · Consultant |
These are estimates, not published scales. Private pay varies widely by city, employer and specialty.
Going private: where the bigger earnings are
Government pay has a ceiling. Many of the highest-earning health professionals in Nigeria own or co-own a practice. Our guides estimate owner earnings in the range of ₦500,000–₦2M+ a month for a diagnostic laboratory and ₦800,000–₦3M+ for a pharmacy (industry estimates; results vary widely with location, capital and management).
Thinking of going private? Start with the guide for your profession:
- Pharmacists: How to start a pharmacy business in Nigeria · What it costs to open a pharmacy
- Lab scientists: Setting up a medical laboratory
- Radiographers: Setting up a diagnostic centre
- Physiotherapists: Setting up a physiotherapy clinic
- Doctors: Setting up a private clinic
- Dentists: Setting up a dental clinic
Not ready to open a practice yet? See the side-income guides for nurses, doctors and pharmacists.
Help Build Real Salary Figures
The ranges on this page are representative approximations. Tell us what you are actually paid, anonymously, and once enough people from the same grade and profession have contributed we will publish real medians and ranges alongside them.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which health workers are paid the most in Nigeria?
On government scales, doctors and dental surgeons (CONMESS) earn the most, from about ₦263,000/month as a House Officer to ₦1,230,000+ as a Director. Among CONHESS cadres, pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists usually start higher than nurses (CONHESS 8 vs 6–7).
2. What is the difference between CONHESS and CONMESS?
CONMESS covers doctors and dental surgeons only (7 grades). CONHESS covers every other health worker, including nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists (15 grades). CONMESS pays more at every stage.
3. Who earns more in Nigeria, a pharmacist or a nurse?
On the government scale, a pharmacist usually does. Pharmacists typically start at CONHESS 8 (about ₦174,566/month) against CONHESS 6–7 (about ₦119,959–₦155,990) for registered nurses, and pharmacists progress to higher grades in clinical roles.
4. Do lab scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists earn the same?
Their government pay is similar. All three typically start at CONHESS 8 (about ₦174,566/month) and reach CONHESS 13–14 at senior level. Differences come from allowances, employer, and private or business income.
5. Are these the official salary figures?
No. They're representative approximations of the NSIWC scales, shown as basic monthly pay without allowances. For exact figures, use the official scale from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission or ask your employer's HR department.
Conclusion
Nigeria's health workforce is paid on two scales: CONMESS for doctors and dentists and CONHESS for everyone else. Doctors start roughly 1.7–2.2× higher than nurses. Pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists start one to two grades above nurses. At the top of both scales, the ceiling is set by management grades rather than clinical roles. For the full figures of your cadre, open its guide in the table above. For the grade-by-grade scales, see the CONHESS and CONMESS step tables.
Disclaimer: CONHESS figures on this page are the official basic-salary scale effective 29 July 2024 (NSIWC circular SWC.04/T/210, annual ÷ 12); CONMESS figures are representative approximations of the scale published by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), as on our CONHESS and CONMESS guides. Actual pay varies with step, allowances, deductions, posting and employer. Private-sector figures are industry estimates. For information only; not professional advice.
Related Articles
- CONHESS Salary Structure 2026: Full Step-by-Step Scale
- CONMESS Salary Structure 2026: Full Step-by-Step Scale for Doctors
- Doctor vs Nurse Salary in Nigeria 2026
- Nurse Salary Nigeria 2026
- Pharmacist Salary Nigeria 2026
- Lab Scientist Salary Nigeria 2026
- Radiographer Salary Nigeria 2026
- Physiotherapist Salary Nigeria 2026
- Doctor Salary Nigeria 2026
- Dentist Salary Nigeria 2026
- Medical Consultant Salary Nigeria 2026
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