Wanting to be a healthcare worker in Nigeria is certainly a good thing, for many, they think about the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) salary structure due to the fact that the UBTH is one of the most sort after health care institution for both aspiring and already practicing health care professionals in Nigeria, a position at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) means they are part of a prestigious healthcare institution.
For anyone seeking a position, whether they are a new graduate, or a seasoned consultant, understanding the UBTH salary structure is important.
The UBTH salaries also are not payrolled by simply the management of the institution. Salaries at the UBTH are also governed by the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) issued by the Federal Government.
This article outlines how much UBTH pays its staff in 2025, and the different constraints which inform the various salary levels for services offered in different Healthcare departments, job roles and relative position in the institution.
The Foundation of UBTH Salaries: CONMESS and CONHESS
Understanding the UBTH payment system requires some basic knowledge of the two key payment pillars.
CONMESS (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure) is scaled for medical doctors and dentists. Because it is a consolidated structure, it means the basic salary, along with some other components, will be paid in a single monthly payment. The scale progresses from CONMESS 1 (for interns) to CONMESS 7 (for the most senior consultants) with progression determined by years of service, promotions, and advanced qualifications.
CONHESS (Consolidated Health Salary Structure) is a broader scale that covers all other health workers in UBTH. This includes nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers, administrative officers, accountants, and support staff. The CONHESS scale encompasses 15 levels (1 to 15) to allow for the wide range of qualifications and career paths that exist in the hospital. Like the CONMESS structure, it also consolidates basic salary and several other allowances.
These structures undergo periodic reviews by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) in collaboration with healthcare unions. Updates to the payment systems for 2025 will stem from those negotiated agreements.
UBTH Salary Breakdown By Job Roles at UBTH (2025 Estimates)
The estimated monthly salaries portrayed below are subject to certain variables, including one’s specific grade level, step levels within a grade, and applicable deductions such as taxes and pension contributions.
1. Medical Doctors Salaries at UBTH (CONMESS)
Salary structuring is clear and progressive within the medical profession at UBTH.
House Officers/Interns (CONMESS 1): Newly graduated medical professionals who have recently started their one-year internship are positioned at the first step within the grade. They usually earn monthly salaries within the range of ₦280,000 to ₦350,000.
Medical Officers/Registrars (CONMESS 2-3): Doctors who have completed their internship and NYSC and are employed as Medical Officers or who start their residency training (Registrars) are in this category.
Their salaries range from ₦400,000 to ₦600,000 monthly, based on their steps and functions.
Senior Registrars (CONMESS 4): The more residency training a doctor completes, the greater the responsibilities and salary. Senior Registrars earn between ₦650,000 and ₦800,000 monthly.
Consultants (CONMESS 5-7): Doctors who finish residency, become fellows of their postgraduate medical colleges, and earn the Consultant title have reached the highest point of their clinical career.
- New Consultants (CONMESS 5): Monthly salary starts from around ₦850,000 to ₦1,000,000.
- Senior and Chief Consultants (CONMESS 6-7): With years of experience and added administrative duties, the most senior consultants can earn upwards of ₦1,200,000 per month.
2. Nurses Salaries at UBTH (CONHESS)
Nurses are key components to the provision of patient care, and are compensated according to the level of education attained and the years of service on the CONHESS grading system.
- Nursing Officer II (CONHESS 7): This is the entry level for graduate nurses holding a B.N.Sc. degree. Here, they earn roughly between ₦170,000 to ₦210,000 monthly.
- Nursing Officer I (CONHESS 8): This is the next level after promotion, and monthly salaries are between ₦200,000 to ₦250,000.
- Senior and Principal Nursing Officers (CONHESS 9-11): With greater seniority, nurses earn ₦260,000 to ₦400,000 monthly on these levels.
- Chief Nursing Officers/Directors of Nursing (CONHESS 12-14): These are the upper levels of nursing and they earn the highest; the range starts at ₦450,000 to ₦600,000, depending on the level of responsibility.
3. Pharmacists Salaries at UBTH (CONHESS)
Pharmacists are vital to the proper management of medication and the safety of patients.
- Intern Pharmacists (CONHESS 8): Just like medical interns, pharmacy graduates also spend a year on duty as a pharmacist intern. Their remuneration monthly ranges between ₦180,000 to ₦220,000.
- Pharmacist II (CONHESS 9): Newly registered and entering the hospital’s workforce, pharmacists at this grade level earn between ₦250,000 to ₦300,000 a month.
- Senior and Chief Pharmacists (CONHESS 10-14): Pharmacists also increase their remuneration as they rise up the ranks. Salaries range for this level is between ₦350,000 and ₦550,000, with those in top directorial positions earning more.
4. Medical Laboratory Scientists Salaries at UBTH (CONHESS)
These experts play an important role in diagnostics and monitoring diseases.
- Intern Medical Laboratory Scientists (CONHESS 8): Salary for interns in this branch is comparable to that of intern pharmacists, but little lower, ranging from ₦140,000 to ₦180,000.
- Medical Laboratory Scientist II (CONHESS 9): For a fully qualified scientist, they assumed this role with a monthly payment of ₦240,000 to ₦290,000.
- Senior and Chief Medical Laboratory Scientists (CONHESS 10 – 14): Senior management and Chief Medical Laboratory Scientists in leadership positions are principals raking in ₦330,000 to ₦500,000 monthly.
Administrative and Other Staff (CONHESS)
The hospital employs a great deal of non-clinical staff needed for its functioning.
- Administrative Staff: New graduates to this side of the administration come in at CONHESS 7 or 8, which now falls in the ₦170,000 – ₦250,000 range. Higher order admin staff, like directors, positions at CONHESS 14 or 15 come with a much higher pay.
- Accountants: Accountants come in at the same tier as admin staff and the progression is done differently.
- Health Information Management Officers: These people formally known as medical records officers are classified under the CONHESS scale with an Entry level for HND holders is CONHESS 6 100,000 – 140,000, and a Degree holder is 170,000 + at CONHESS 7.
University of Benin Teaching Hospital Internship Salaries in Benin-City
Data obtained from Glassdoor survey indicated that the salaries for Internships in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) is between N1.4M to N 1.5M per year.
Allowances and Benefits at UBTH
The consolidated pay structure for CONMESS and CONHESS simplifies salary disbursement as some allowances are already included in the salary. These are some of the primary allowances:
- Specialist Allowance: This is for health workers with specialist qualifications, like consultant medical doctors.
- Call Duty / Shift Duty Allowance: This is for those whose work schedule is outside the regular hours and includes overnight and weekend work. This is one of the largest employers of clinical staff salary components.
- Hazard Allowance: This is one of the most important allowances meant for hospital workers. Hospital health workers unions have engaged in the most agitation for the upward review of this allowance.
- Rural Posting Allowance: This is for health workers posted to UBTH’s outreach centers in the rural and more remote areas.
- Teaching Allowance: This is for staff who also teach students from the University of Benin.
In addition to the consolidated salary, UBTH staff are also entitled to the benefits of federal civil service which include: pension contribution under the Contributory Pension Scheme, access to National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and civil service provisions of leave, and gratuity
Comparison with Other Teaching Hospitals
Since UBTH is a federal institution, its pay is similar to the other federal teaching hospitals in Nigeria, like University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), and a few other variations might be due to individual interpretations and implementations of circulars, internal call duty arrangements, and other allowances.
That said, UBTH and other federal teaching hospitals have stronger and more consistent salary structures when compared to state teaching hospitals, private practice, or state owned teaching hospitals. Granted, some of the private hospitals, especially in Lagos and the other major cities like Abuja, pay even more to some specialists, but the federal system is more stable, offers greater job security, and incorporates a more comprehensive retirement package along with structured promotions.
Conclusion – University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Salary Structure
With all that said, the expectation of UBTH’s salaries is governed by the national policies and structures that accompany it. The remuneration is more than in private clinics, but still, the demand for improvements on the remuneration with the current state of the economy will not cease. Improved salaries must be implemented by UBTH in 2025/2028 to maintain excellence in health.
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