The Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared an indefinite and total nationwide strike, scheduled to begin on Friday, 31st October 2025, at 11:59 p.m., following a decision reached at an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday. The strike is poised to cause significant disruptions to public hospital services across the country, which are already struggling with severe staff shortages due to the continued migration of medical professionals abroad in search of improved working conditions and remuneration. The association’s leadership stated that the unanimous decision was a result of the Federal Government’s failure to satisfactorily address its demands following the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum.
The NEC, which serves as the highest decision-making body for the doctors’ association, mandated the industrial action after reviewing the government’s response to a host of unresolved welfare and policy issues. NARD President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleiman, confirmed the directive in a public statement on his X page on Sunday, saying the National Officers Committee would ensure full and strict compliance. Key demands that remain unmet include the non-payment of outstanding arrears from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), the failure to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance, and non-payment of promotion arrears for medical officers in federal tertiary hospitals.
Further grievances cited by the doctors encompass bureaucratic delays in upgrading doctors’ ranks after they successfully complete postgraduate examinations, the unjust dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and the exclusion of resident doctors from specialist allowance. Dr Suleiman also directed that hospital branch presidents and general secretaries convene emergency congress meetings to brief all members on the NEC resolutions before the strike commences to guarantee uniform compliance across the federation.
New instructions have been issued by the NEC to govern the strike, including a ‘no pay no work’ resolution and modalities for monitoring the action across all centres to prevent any form of sabotage. The NARD President claimed that ‘evil and exploitative plans’ against young doctors were being orchestrated by certain government and non-governmental elements, which the association vowed to collectively resist. Resident doctors have been advised to use the few days before the Friday deadline to formally hand over their patients, sensitise the media and public, and engage with religious and traditional leaders to rally support for their cause.
