Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared an indefinite nationwide industrial action from August 10, 2026, citing the Federal Government's failure to implement agreements reached with the association and address lingering welfare and workplace concerns. The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of NARD's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting and Annual National Scientific Conference held in Gombe from July 26 to 31, 2026.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the National President of NARD, Dr. Mohammed Usman Suleiman, said the strike had become necessary due to the government's inability to resolve critical issues affecting resident doctors across the country. He stated that members had continued to face challenges, including alleged intimidation, harassment and physical assaults in some federal health institutions, poor welfare conditions, unpaid allowances, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and denial of professional entitlements. Despite several engagements with relevant government authorities, most of the issues raised by the association remained unresolved.
"The strike is unavoidable due to circumstances beyond the control of the association. Our members can no longer continue to work under conditions that undermine their welfare, safety and professional dignity," Suleiman declared. He urged the Federal Government to urgently address the association's demands before the commencement of the strike to prevent further disruption to healthcare delivery nationwide. The conference, themed "Strengthening Healthcare Systems: Resident Doctors at the Forefront," brought together resident doctors from across the country to discuss ways of improving Nigeria's healthcare system and enhancing the welfare of medical professionals.
The NEC expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as the slow implementation of agreements reached with the government despite repeated engagements over the past several months. Suleiman disclosed that the association had extended its strike ultimatum four times in the hope that outstanding issues would be resolved, but regretted that many of the commitments remained unfulfilled. Among its key demands, NARD called for the immediate payment of outstanding 25 to 35 per cent CONMESS salary review arrears, the 19-month professional allowance arrears, promotion arrears and salary arrears owed to doctors in several federal health institutions.
The affected institutions, according to the association, include the University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Okuki; Federal Medical Centre, Owo; Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife; University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri; Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki; Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi; and other federal hospitals. The association also condemned the growing cases of assault, harassment, intimidation and attacks on doctors and other healthcare workers while on duty, describing the trend as a serious threat to Nigeria's already overstretched health system.
It urged the Federal Government to establish a National Healthcare Workers Assault Prevention and Response Protocol and called on the National Assembly to enact legislation criminalising attacks on healthcare personnel. While commending the Federal Government for releasing the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, NARD demanded the immediate payment of eligible resident doctors who were omitted from the initial disbursement. The council also expressed concern over the worsening welfare of house officers, citing prolonged salary delays, unpaid arrears and persistent bottlenecks in internship placement and onboarding, which it said force many newly employed doctors to work for weeks or months before receiving their first salaries.
NARD further demanded the speedy conclusion and implementation of the Medical and Health Workers Collective Bargaining Agreement, the implementation of recommendations aimed at addressing excessive workload and manpower shortages, and urgent intervention by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in the industrial dispute at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The association also urged the Federal Government and state governments to increase investment in healthcare through improved funding, rehabilitation of health facilities, provision of modern medical equipment, uninterrupted electricity supply, recruitment and retention of healthcare workers, and accelerated implementation of universal health coverage.
It also appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Kaduna State Government and the management of affected federal tertiary hospitals to resolve outstanding salary, welfare and training issues involving resident doctors. NARD warned that unless its demands are substantially addressed before August 10, resident doctors across the country would commence a total and indefinite strike. The association linked many of the unresolved welfare issues to the growing exodus of Nigerian doctors, noting that more than 16,000 medical doctors have left the country in the last three to four years in search of better remuneration and working conditions abroad. It warned that the number of doctors leaving the country now far exceeds the number graduating annually from medical schools, a trend it said could have catastrophic consequences for Nigeria's healthcare system.
Prior to the declaration, NARD had issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government at its May 2026 Ordinary General Meeting to address unresolved welfare and professional concerns affecting resident doctors nationwide. The ultimatum was later extended by four weeks to allow the government more time to implement agreed resolutions ahead of the July NEC meeting in Gombe. At the top of the list of grievances was the failure to release the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), which the doctors said had remained unpaid despite repeated assurances from relevant authorities. Other demands included the payment of outstanding salary, promotion, and Professional Allowance arrears, as well as improved protection for healthcare workers.
The Federal Government had earlier appealed to NARD to suspend its planned strike, with the Minister of Labour and Employment stating that the government had already addressed six out of the eight demands listed by the association. The government also cited a ₦90 billion annual increase in health workers' allowances as evidence of its commitment to industrial harmony in the sector. However, the doctors remained unsatisfied, insisting that the outstanding issues must be fully resolved before any suspension of the strike.
As the August 10 deadline approaches, patients across Nigeria brace for the impact of another prolonged industrial action by resident doctors, who form the backbone of clinical services in most public hospitals. The strike is expected to paralyse healthcare delivery in federal and state tertiary health institutions, leaving millions of Nigerians without access to essential medical care. For the doctors, the decision to embark on strike was not taken lightly, but they insist it is a painful but necessary step to rescue the country's collapsing healthcare system. The Federal Government now faces a race against time to avert a crisis that could have far-reaching consequences for the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.
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