The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has insisted that its ongoing nationwide strike will continue indefinitely until all its 19-point demands are fully met.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday, NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, said that of the 19 demands, only two — the 25–35 per cent salary review and accoutrement allowance — were currently being addressed, while 17 others “remain unresolved.”
“This strike is still indefinite until all our minimum demands are met,” Suleiman stated.
The resident doctors began their indefinite nationwide strike on Saturday, November 1, 2025, citing the Federal Government’s failure to honour previous agreements and meet their minimum expectations. The strike has since disrupted services across several federal and state hospitals nationwide.
FG Defends Efforts, Says ₦43 Billion Released
Responding, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare maintained that the government had released substantial funds and remained committed to dialogue.
In a statement signed by its Head of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, the ministry said ₦21.3 billion had been transferred to the IPPIS account for payment of arrears, while an additional ₦11.995 billion was being processed for other allowances, including accoutrement payments.
It added that ₦10.6 billion had been fully disbursed for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), paid exclusively to resident doctors.
The ministry also revealed that 15,000 new health workers would be recruited under a special presidential waiver, following the engagement of over 20,000 in 2024.
NARD Rejects FG’s Claims
However, Dr. Suleiman dismissed the government’s figures as “misleading,” claiming that only a small fraction of the ₦43 billion actually applied to resident doctors.
“We have salary arrears of two years and allowance arrears of one year. Yet the government is quoting big figures as if all the money is for doctors. That’s not true,” he said.
He also noted that the ₦2.9 billion accoutrement allowance remained under processing, while other funds — such as ₦400 million for JOHESU and ₦2.4 billion for consultants’ non-clinical duties — did not concern NARD members.
The NARD president further stressed that the MRTF was not a new initiative but a statutory entitlement established since 2017, lamenting that doctors must “threaten or go on strike before it is paid every year.”
Appreciation and Key Demands
While commending Finance Minister Wale Edun and Minister of State Doris Anite for their quick intervention, Suleiman urged the Ministry of Health to negotiate “honestly” to bring the strike to an end.
NARD’s key demands include:
- Immediate payment of all CONMESS arrears and 2024 accoutrement allowances.
- Reinstatement of five dismissed resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
- Implementation of a humane working-hours policy in line with international standards.
- Granting hospital Chief Executives autonomy under the one-for-one replacement policy.
- Upgrading of medical infrastructure and payment of specialist allowances.
- Inclusion of house officers in the civil service scheme and correction of all entry-level placements.
Despite ongoing engagement with the government, NARD insists the strike remains indefinite until all 19 demands are met.
