CONMESS Salary Structure 2026: Full Step-by-Step Scale for Doctors (CONMESS 1-7)

Q: How do steps work in CONMESS?

Each grade has multiple steps. You move up one step per year through annual increments (a small rise), while promotions move you up a whole grade level (a large rise).

The CONMESS salary structure for Nigerian doctors and dental surgeons: monthly figures from CONMESS 1 (House Officer) to CONMESS 7 (top consultant grade), which grade each post sits on, and what the NSIWC circulars actually state.

By Dr. Jethro Magaji

May 15, 2026

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14 MINS

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Quick Answer

The CONMESS salary structure (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure) governs pay for all medical doctors and dental surgeons in Nigerian government service. Monthly basic salaries run from about ₦263,000 at CONMESS 1, Step 1 (House Officer) up to ₦1,230,000+ at the top of CONMESS 7 (the top consultant grade). Each of the seven grade levels has multiple steps, and you move up one step roughly every year through annual increments. Consultants are placed on the consultant grades, CONMESS 5–7 (usually employed on CONMESS 6), not CONMESS 4 as many pages, including an earlier version of this one, have said.

Note: The naira figures below are representative approximations, not the official table. The current CONMESS table took effect on 29 July 2024 (issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) under the 2024 minimum-wage act, like the CONHESS table we publish in full); we have not yet transcribed it, so verify the exact step amounts with the circular or your HR department before relying on them. The grade placements marked † are reported by practitioners rather than stated in a circular.

Last checked: 25 September 2026.

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How CONMESS works

CONMESS has 7 grade levels (CONMESS 1 to CONMESS 7). Within each grade are incremental steps (annual increments). Two things move your pay:

Promotion — moving up a grade level (e.g., CONMESS 02 → CONMESS 03) after passing exams or earning experience. This is the big jump.
Annual increment — moving up one step within your current grade each year. This is a smaller, steady rise.

CONMESS is only for doctors and dental surgeons. Every other health worker (nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists) is paid on the separate CONHESS salary structure — which pays less at equivalent levels.

CONMESS salary structure 2026 — master table

CONMESS Grade	Usual post	Step 1 (₦/month)	Step 5 (₦/month)	Top Step (₦/month)
CONMESS 1	House Officer (intern)†	₦263,000	₦295,000	₦338,000
CONMESS 2	Medical/Dental Officer; Junior Registrar in some institutions†	₦380,000	₦415,000	₦460,000
CONMESS 3	Junior Registrar†	₦475,000	₦525,000	₦590,000
CONMESS 4	Senior Registrar II†	₦562,000	₦620,000	₦685,000
CONMESS 5	Senior Registrar I; first consultant grade†	₦730,000	₦800,000	₦885,000
CONMESS 6	Consultant (usual entry grade)†	₦1,020,000	₦1,090,000	₦1,150,000
CONMESS 7	Consultant, top grade	₦1,150,000	₦1,190,000	₦1,230,000+

† Placement reported to us by practitioners (most recently a consultant pathologist, September 2026), not stated in an NSIWC circular; it varies by institution, and the entry grade for junior registrars (CONMESS 2 or 3) is still being harmonised. What the circulars do state: the specialist allowance for consultants is paid on CONMESS 5–7 only, and CONMESS 1 has a single step.

Basic salary only. Allowances (call duty, hazard, shift, specialist) are paid on top and can add ₦30,000–₦300,000+ monthly depending on grade and posting.

CONMESS grade-by-grade breakdown

Which post sits on which grade is not written into the NSIWC salary circulars: they publish the pay table, and each institution places its staff on it. Two things the circulars do state: CONMESS 1 has a single step (a one-year house job), and the specialist allowance for consultants is paid on CONMESS 5, 6 and 7 only (NSIWC CONMESS circular effective 1 January 2010, Annex III). The placements below marked † are what practitioners report, most recently a consultant pathologist who wrote to us in September 2026.

CONMESS 1 — House Officer (₦263,000–₦338,000)

Fresh MBBS/MBChB or BDS graduates completing the mandatory one-year housemanship. Entry point to the structure, and the only grade with a single step.

Step 1: ~₦263,000/month basic
With allowances: ₦290,000–₦380,000
Next move: CONMESS 2 or 3 after housemanship + full registration, depending on the post and the institution.

CONMESS 2 — Medical/Dental Officer (₦380,000–₦460,000)

Fully registered medical and dental officers†. Some institutions also employ junior registrars on CONMESS 2†.

Step 1: ~₦380,000/month basic
With allowances: ₦420,000–₦550,000

CONMESS 3 — Junior Registrar (₦475,000–₦590,000)

Residents who have not yet passed Part I of the fellowship examination are employed on CONMESS 3†, though some institutions still start them on CONMESS 2; practitioners report that harmonising the entry point at CONMESS 3 is still being worked out.

Step 1: ~₦475,000/month basic
With allowances: ₦520,000–₦650,000
Passing Part I moves you to the senior-registrar grades.

CONMESS 4 — Senior Registrar II (₦562,000–₦685,000)

The first senior-registrar grade, after Part I†, working toward fellowship (FMCP, FWACS, FMCS).

Step 1: ~₦562,000/month basic

CONMESS 5–7 — Consultant grades (₦730,000–₦1,230,000+)

CONMESS 5: ₦730,000–₦885,000 — Senior Registrar I†, and the first grade on which the consultants' specialist allowance is paid
CONMESS 6: ₦1,020,000–₦1,150,000 — the grade consultants are usually employed on†
CONMESS 7: ₦1,150,000–₦1,230,000+ — the top of the structure

Earning the fellowship opens the consultant grades. Most consultants also see private patients 1–2 days/week, adding ₦300,000–₦1.5M monthly.

For the full career narrative — by specialty, location, and sector — see our Doctor Salary Nigeria 2026 guide.

CONMESS by cadre

Every cadre on this page, mapped to its CONMESS grade. Medical and dental officers share the same grades, so a dental surgeon at each rung earns the same basic salary as a doctor. Rows marked † are practitioner-reported placements; the last row is what the NSIWC circular states.

Cadre	CONMESS grade	Monthly basic (approx.)
House Officer (medical or dental intern)†	CONMESS 1	₦263,000–₦338,000
Medical/Dental Officer†	CONMESS 2	₦380,000–₦460,000
Junior Registrar (resident, before Part I)†	CONMESS 2–3	₦380,000–₦590,000
Senior Registrar II (resident, after Part I)†	CONMESS 4	₦562,000–₦685,000
Senior Registrar I†	CONMESS 5	₦730,000–₦885,000
Consultant (usual entry grade)†	CONMESS 6	₦1,020,000–₦1,150,000
Consultant grades (specialist allowance paid here)	CONMESS 5–7	₦730,000–₦1,230,000+

Monthly basic salary, Step 1 to the top step (for a span of grades, Step 1 of the lower to the top step of the higher), before allowances. Representative approximations of the CONMESS scale published by the NSIWC; representative approximations until the current table (effective 29 July 2024) is transcribed from the official circular, not the official table: confirm exact figures on nsiwc.gov.ng. Only cadre-to-grade mappings stated in the master table and grade breakdown on this page are listed. Last checked: 25 September 2026.

For what each cadre earns with allowances, by specialty and in private practice, see the guides for doctor salary in Nigeria, dentist salary in Nigeria and consultant salary.

Most-searched specific steps (quick reference)

Query	Grade/Step	Approx. monthly basic
CONMESS salary scale for doctors	CONMESS 2, Step 1	~₦380,000
CONMESS 6 salary per month	CONMESS 6, Step 1	~₦1,020,000
CONMESS 7 salary per month	CONMESS 7, Step 1	~₦1,150,000
CONMESS 3 step 2 salary	CONMESS 3, Step 2	~₦485,000

These are approximations of the published scale. The NSIWC scale is the authoritative source for exact per-step figures — always confirm before quoting them.

CONMESS vs CONHESS — why doctors earn more

CONMESS	CONHESS
Who it covers	Doctors & dental surgeons	Nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists, etc.
Entry monthly	~₦263,000 (CONMESS 1, approx.)	₦119,959 (CONHESS 6, RN entry, official)
Top monthly	~₦1,230,000+ (CONMESS 7, approx.)	₦376,644 (CONHESS 12, official)

See the full CONHESS salary structure 2026 and our Doctor vs Nurse Salary comparison.

How doctors grow income beyond CONMESS

Government basic pay is only the floor. Nigerian doctors expand income through:

Private practice (adds ₦300,000–₦5M+ monthly) — running an efficient clinic matters. A modern EHR like ClinikEHR helps private practices manage records, scheduling, and billing without enterprise cost. See how to open a private clinic and Best EMR for Private Clinics in Nigeria.
Locum shifts, telemedicine, and medical side hustles — see Top 5 Lucrative Side Hustles for Doctors in Nigeria.
Completing residency — each promotion up the grades (CONMESS 3 → 4 → 5 → 6) is a 16–40% basic-pay jump on our approximate figures.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the CONMESS salary structure?

CONMESS (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure) is the official pay scale for medical doctors and dental surgeons in Nigerian government service. It has 7 grade levels with incremental steps, from CONMESS 1 (House Officer, ~₦263,000/month) to CONMESS 7 (the top consultant grade, ~₦1.23M+/month).

2. How much is CONMESS 2 salary per month?

A doctor on CONMESS 2 (Medical Officer, and Junior Registrar in some institutions) earns approximately ₦380,000–₦460,000/month basic depending on step, plus allowances.

3. What CONMESS level are consultants on?

Consultants are usually employed on CONMESS 6 (about ₦1,020,000–₦1,150,000/month basic on our approximate figures), as practitioners report. The NSIWC circular pays the consultants' specialist allowance on CONMESS 5, 6 and 7, so those are the consultant grades; CONMESS 7 (₦1,150,000–₦1,230,000+) is the top of the structure. Consultants are not on CONMESS 4, which is a senior-registrar grade.

4. What is the current CONMESS scale?

The current CONMESS table took effect on 29 July 2024, issued by the NSIWC with the 2024 national minimum wage. The figures on this page are approximations of it, not the table itself; confirm exact step amounts with the circular on nsiwc.gov.ng or your HR department.

5. What is the difference between CONMESS and CONHESS?

CONMESS covers only doctors and dental surgeons and pays significantly more at every level. CONHESS covers all other health professionals (nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists).

6. How do steps work in CONMESS?

Each grade level has multiple steps. You move up one step per year through annual increments (a small rise), while promotions move you up a whole grade level (a large rise).

Conclusion

The CONMESS structure rewards progression: from House Officer to the top consultant grade, government basic pay rises more than fourfold on our approximate figures. But the biggest earners combine CONMESS with private practice and other income streams. Use this scale to benchmark your pay — and verify exact step figures against the official NSIWC scale.

Disclaimer: The salary figures in this article are representative approximations of the CONMESS salary structure published by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC); the current table (effective 29 July 2024) has not yet been transcribed here, so step-level figures may differ from it. Grade placements marked † are reported by practitioners, not stated in a circular. These figures are not fixed or guaranteed — actual pay varies by employer, step, allowances, deductions, and posting. Verify directly with the NSIWC website or your employer's HR department. For informational purposes only; not professional advice. ClinikEHR and its authors are not liable for decisions made based on this information.

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