Nigerian resident doctors suspend planned strike after two-week ultimatum to FG

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced on Tuesday that it has suspended its planned strike after reaching an understanding with the Federal Government on key demands, including payment of outstanding allowances and improvements in doctors’ welfare.

The decision followed an emergency meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC), where members reviewed assurances from government representatives and resolved to give dialogue another chance.

“The NEC, in recognition of the ongoing high-level interventions and as a demonstration of goodwill, hereby suspends the previously declared Total, Indefinite, and Comprehensive Strike action,” the communique read.

NARD stated that the suspension was informed by “progress made” in negotiations, particularly commitments on the prompt payment of salary arrears, hazard allowances, and steps toward resolving issues surrounding the Medical Residency Training Fund.

Although the association did not declare a full resolution of the dispute, it noted that the government had shown a “renewed willingness” to address the concerns that triggered the strike threat.

“The NEC grants the Federal Government a two (2)-week ultimatum within which concrete, measurable, and verifiable steps must be taken to address all outstanding demands of the Association.

“The NEC reiterates its demands as follows: Immediate reversal of the decision to halt the implementation of the reviewed Professional Allowance Table (PAT); Immediate payment of all outstanding promotion arrears and salary arrears owed to resident doctors in affected institutions; Prompt conclusion and disbursement of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF); Immediate processing and full payment of the outstanding nineteen (19) months’ arrears of the Professional Allowance.

“The NEC shall reconvene immediately upon expiration of the ultimatum to review the level of compliance and determine further appropriate actions in the best interest of its members. In the event of failure by the Federal Government to meet these demands within the stipulated timeframe, the NEC shall not hesitate to resume the suspended Total, Indefinite, and Comprehensive Strike action without further notice.”

Resident doctors in Nigeria have repeatedly clashed with the Federal Government over welfare issues, including irregular salary payments, inadequate hazard allowances, and poor hospital infrastructure. These recurring disputes have contributed to the brain drain in the health sector, with many Nigerian doctors seeking better opportunities abroad.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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