Resident doctors declare indefinite national strike over unmet demands

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike set to commence on Friday, October 31, 2025. The decision follows the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government regarding various outstanding demands related to welfare and working conditions.
‎
‎Resident doctors constitute the majority of the medical workforce in Nigeria’s teaching hospitals and federal medical centers, a strike by NARD has the potential of severely cripples healthcare services across the country.
‎
‎The association has engaged in frequent industrial action in recent years, due to the Federal Government’s failure to honor previous agreements. NARD’s key demands center on issues of welfare, including the immediate payment of accumulated promotion arrears, the release of corrected professional allowance tables, and the urgent review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), which has been long stalled.
‎
‎NARD President Mohammed Usman Suleiman confirmed the directive after a meeting. He stated that the NEC has unanimously directed the union to declare a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action. Suleiman accused elements within the government of having evil and exploitative plans for resident doctors, framing the action as a collective resistance against mistreatment and neglect. ‎The doctors are using the principle of “No Work No Pay/No Pay No Work” as part of their strategy.
‎
‎The Federal Government has not released any public statement following the declaration at the time this report was published.
‎
‎The strike will impact medical services across Nigeria, forcing federal hospitals to rely on other medical personnel. NARD has instructed its members to use the coming days to hand over patients and engage with local leaders.
‎