The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared plans to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike beginning November 1, 2025, following the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.
NARD President, Dr Muhammad Suleiman, announced the development on Saturday after the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) reviewed the government’s response to their demands during an emergency virtual meeting.
According to Coastalreporters, the impending strike is expected to cripple medical services nationwide, as resident doctors make up the majority of the country’s clinical workforce.
NARD had earlier, on September 26, given the government one month to resolve outstanding issues affecting the welfare and training of resident doctors and medical officers.
Among the grievances raised are excessive and unregulated work hours, nonpayment of outstanding arrears from the 25 and 35 percent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and the unjust dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
The association also expressed dissatisfaction over the nonpayment of promotion arrears, failure to release the 2024 accoutrement allowance, and bureaucratic delays in upgrading doctors’ ranks after completing postgraduate examinations — delays that have led to unpaid salary arrears.
Additionally, NARD condemned their exclusion from the specialist allowance, despite their vital contribution to specialist care delivery, and criticised the removal of medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme, which denies them fair pay and career advancement.
The doctors also protested the downgrading of newly employed resident doctors from CONMESS 3 Step 3 to CONMESS 2 Step 2 — a move they say has reduced their salaries and left many without arrears in several federal hospitals.
