CONHESS Salary Structure 2026: Health Workers’ Grade Levels & Pay

If you are searching for the CONHESS salary structure 2026, you are probably trying to find out how much Nigerian health workers earn under the government salary system, which health professions fall under CONHESS, what each grade level means, and how allowances can affect monthly pay.

CONHESS means Consolidated Health Salary Structure. It is the salary framework used for many health professionals and health-sector employees in Nigeria’s public service. It is particularly relevant to workers such as nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers and other eligible health professionals.

However, there is an important point to understand before looking at salary figures: CONHESS is not simply a table showing one fixed salary for every health worker. Actual earnings can depend on grade level, step, qualification, experience, appointment, institution, allowances and whether the worker is employed by the federal or state government.

For 2026, this distinction is especially important because discussions and negotiations over the review of CONHESS have continued. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stated in January 2026 that the government was continuing discussions on the CONHESS review, while the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) remains the key official body for salary structures in the federal public service.

What Is CONHESS?

The Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) is a salary structure designed for eligible health workers in Nigeria’s public service.

In simple terms, CONHESS helps determine the basic salary attached to different grades and steps. Instead of every government hospital creating its own completely separate salary system, a consolidated structure provides a framework for remuneration.

CONHESS should not be confused with CONMESS, which is the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure associated with medical and dental officers.

This distinction matters when searching for government health-worker salaries. A doctor may fall under CONMESS, while a nurse, pharmacist, medical laboratory scientist, physiotherapist or radiographer may be covered by CONHESS, depending on the position and applicable service rules.

The original CONHESS framework has been used in the Nigerian public service for years, while subsequent government decisions and salary reviews have modified public-sector pay arrangements. The NSIWC currently maintains official circulars and salary-structure documents for the federal public service.

CONHESS Salary Structure 2026: What You Should Know

One of the biggest mistakes people make when searching for CONHESS salary structure 2026 is assuming that every figure published online represents an official 2026 government salary table.

That is not necessarily the case.

The official NSIWC website has a CONHESS circular relating to the implementation of the new minimum wage in the Federal Public Service, published on 30 September 2024. The document is specifically identified by NSIWC as the implementation of the new minimum wage in the federal public service under the Consolidated Health Salary Structure.

At the same time, the Federal Government was still discussing a further CONHESS adjustment in January 2026. According to a report published by The PUNCH, the Federal Ministry of Health said the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission was conducting a job evaluation exercise to help determine appropriate placement for health professionals and provide a basis for discussions around salary adjustments.

This means readers should be careful with websites claiming that a particular table is the official new CONHESS 2026 salary structure unless the figures can be traced to an official government circular.

CONHESS Grade Levels Explained in Simple Terms

CONHESS uses grades and steps to organise pay.

A grade level broadly indicates the position or level at which an employee is placed within the salary structure. A step represents progression within that grade.

For example, two employees could theoretically be on the same CONHESS grade but receive different basic salaries because they are on different steps.

This is why simply asking, “How much does CONHESS 7 pay?” may not provide the complete answer.

The actual salary may depend on:

• CONHESS grade
• Step within the grade
• Professional qualification
• Years of relevant service
• Job title
• Approved appointment level
• Applicable allowances
• Employer and institution
• Federal or state government implementation
• Current government circulars

In other words, CONHESS grade level is only one part of the salary calculation.

Common CONHESS Grade Levels

The CONHESS structure is commonly discussed using levels such as CONHESS 01 through CONHESS 15, with higher levels generally associated with progressively senior positions.

However, the exact professional placement should not be assumed solely from a person’s job title.

For example, two people working in the same broad profession may not necessarily start at exactly the same CONHESS level if their qualifications, appointment conditions or job classifications differ.

A simplified way to understand the structure is:

This table is intended as a plain-language explanation of the hierarchy, not a replacement for an official appointment or placement circular.

Actual placement varies according to the applicable scheme of service and the worker’s qualification and role.

How Much Do Health Workers Earn Under CONHESS?

This is where many online salary articles can become confusing.

You may find websites publishing figures ranging from tens of thousands of naira to several hundred thousand naira per month for CONHESS employees. Some figures are presented as basic salary, while others appear to include allowances or represent estimated gross earnings.

These numbers should not be treated as interchangeable.

For example, a salary described as “monthly pay” may mean:

1. Basic salary only;
2. Basic salary plus selected allowances;
3. Gross salary before deductions; or
4. Estimated take-home pay.

These are four different things.

The official NSIWC documents should therefore be treated as the primary reference when determining an employee’s actual government salary entitlement. The NSIWC specifically publishes circulars and salary structures for the public service.

Some independent 2026 salary guides publish estimated CONHESS ranges for specific professions, but these figures differ significantly from one source to another. That variation is another reason readers should verify any salary figure against an official appointment letter, payroll record or current government circular rather than relying on a generic internet table.

CONHESS Salary for Nurses

Nurses are among the health professionals commonly associated with CONHESS in the public sector.

Online salary estimates for nurses in Nigeria vary considerably. Some 2026 salary guides place entry-level government nursing salaries in the lower CONHESS grades, while more experienced nurses may progress to higher grades.

However, there is no universal “nurse salary” because a nurse’s earnings can change according to qualification, grade, step, employer, location and allowances.

For someone researching CONHESS salary for nurses in Nigeria, the most useful information to confirm is:

• The nurse’s professional qualification;
• The appointment grade;
• The current step;
• Whether the employer is federal or state;
• Applicable professional allowances;
• Whether the stated amount is basic, gross or net salary.

A registered nurse should therefore avoid assuming that a salary figure found on a random website automatically represents the amount that will appear in their bank account.

CONHESS Salary for Pharmacists

Pharmacists working in eligible public-sector positions may also fall under CONHESS.

Their salary depends on the approved grade and step attached to their appointment. Additional allowances may also apply depending on the nature of the role and the rules governing the employing institution.

When comparing pharmacist salaries, it is important to distinguish between basic CONHESS salary and total remuneration.

A pharmacist with several years of service may receive more than an entry-level pharmacist even if both are working within the same broad public-sector salary framework.

CONHESS Salary for Medical Laboratory Scientists

Medical laboratory scientists are another major professional group associated with the health-sector salary structure.

As with other professions, the employee’s qualification and approved position can influence the appropriate grade and step.

This means a search for “medical laboratory scientist salary under CONHESS” should not focus only on one monthly figure. A better question is:

What CONHESS grade and step applies to the position, and what approved allowances are payable?

That approach provides a much more realistic picture of government remuneration.

Other Health Workers Covered by CONHESS

Depending on the applicable government establishment and employment rules, CONHESS can be relevant to several categories of health professionals and health-sector personnel.

These may include:

• Nurses and midwives
• Pharmacists
• Medical laboratory scientists
• Physiotherapists
• Radiographers
• Nutrition and dietetics professionals
• Public health professionals
• Other eligible allied health professionals

The precise applicability of CONHESS depends on the employee’s establishment and applicable service rules.

What Are CONHESS Steps?

A salary step is important because employees do not necessarily remain on the same pay point throughout their careers.

Think of a grade as a salary band and a step as a position within that band.

As an employee gains experience and satisfies the relevant conditions for progression, movement to another step can increase basic salary.

For example, an employee might start at Step 1 and later progress through subsequent steps. The exact rules governing progression depend on the applicable public-service regulations and employment conditions.

This is one reason why a statement such as “CONHESS 10 salary is ₦X” can be incomplete.

The more useful question is:

CONHESS 10, which step, under which current circular, and with which allowances?

CONHESS Allowances

A health worker’s total earnings may include allowances in addition to basic salary.

Depending on the employee’s position and applicable rules, allowances may relate to areas such as professional duties, shift work, call duty, hazard-related work or other approved responsibilities.

However, allowances should not automatically be added to a published basic salary figure.

For example:

Basic salary + approved allowances = gross earnings

Then deductions such as tax and other authorised deductions may affect the amount eventually received.

Therefore:

Gross salary ≠ take-home salary.

This distinction is particularly important when comparing government salaries with private hospital salaries.

Is There a New CONHESS Salary Structure for 2026?

There has been significant attention around this question.

In January 2026, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to reviewing CONHESS amid an industrial dispute involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). The Federal Ministry of Health said an ongoing job evaluation exercise by NSIWC would help determine appropriate placement of health professionals and support discussions concerning salary adjustments.

The same report noted that health workers had also benefited from increases in professional allowances, including arrears dating from July 2024.

Therefore, anyone searching for the latest CONHESS salary structure 2026 should distinguish between:

• The existing officially published salary structure;
• Professional allowance adjustments;
• Proposed or negotiated CONHESS changes;
• State-level implementation;
• Unofficial salary estimates published online.

A proposed review should not automatically be presented as an implemented salary scale.

Federal CONHESS vs State CONHESS

Another common source of confusion is the difference between federal and state employment.

CONHESS is strongly associated with federal public-sector health employment, but some state governments may adopt, adapt or reference national salary structures.

That does not mean every health worker in Nigeria receives exactly the same salary.

A federal hospital, state hospital, teaching hospital, university medical centre and other public institution can have different administrative arrangements.

This is why someone searching for CONHESS salary in Lagos, CONHESS salary in Abuja, CONHESS salary in Kano, or another state should check the employer’s actual implementation rather than assuming that one national figure applies everywhere.

How to Calculate Your CONHESS Pay

If you already have a CONHESS appointment, the simplest way to understand your earnings is to separate the figures into categories.

Step 1: Identify your grade

Check your appointment letter or promotion letter for your CONHESS grade.

Step 2: Identify your step

Your step determines your position within that grade.

Step 3: Check the current official salary table

Use the applicable NSIWC circular or your employer’s official payroll information.

Step 4: Add applicable allowances

Do not assume every allowance applies to every employee.

Step 5: Check deductions

Taxes, pension contributions and other authorised deductions may reduce the amount credited to your account.

This gives you a clearer picture of the difference between basic salary, gross pay and net pay.

Frequently Asked Questions About CONHESS Salary 2026

What does CONHESS stand for?

CONHESS stands for Consolidated Health Salary Structure. It is a salary structure used for eligible health-sector employees in Nigeria’s public service.

Who is paid under CONHESS?

CONHESS is associated with various health professionals and health-sector employees, including nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers and physiotherapists, depending on the applicable establishment and service rules.

Is CONHESS the same as CONMESS?

No. CONHESS and CONMESS are different salary structures. CONHESS is associated with eligible health-sector professionals, while CONMESS is the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure associated with medical and dental officers.

Does CONHESS 2026 have one fixed salary for each profession?

No. Salary can depend on grade, step, qualification, experience, employer, allowances and the current government salary circular.

Has CONHESS been reviewed in 2026?

A review has been under discussion. In January 2026, the Federal Ministry of Health stated that the government was continuing work involving NSIWC and discussions around CONHESS adjustments.

Where can I verify the official CONHESS salary structure?

The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is the key official source for federal public-service salary structures and circulars. Its website contains an official CONHESS document relating to the implementation of the new minimum wage in the Federal Public Service, dated September 30, 2024.