After its new ultimatum to the Federal Government on unpaid allowances, pay arrears, and unsolved welfare issues expired, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors began a five-day warning strike today. Following what it saw as government procrastination on long-standing requests, the group declared the industrial action.
A significant portion of clinical services at federal and state hospitals is provided by resident physicians, who constitute the foundation of Nigeria's public health system. Healthcare delivery is frequently paralyzed by any group strike action, leaving patients stranded and hospitals overburdened.
The organization acknowledged the start of the strike in a telegram titled "Declaration of strike action" signed by Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku, the secretary-general of NARD, on Friday.
"Good morning, NEC Members. I want to thank everyone for their ongoing understanding and collaboration. Our previous communication made it clear that the strike will start at 8:00 am today (Friday).
It is required of every center's leadership to provide appropriate guidance to its members. "NEC members will receive additional updates in due course," he stated.
The unpaid 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, the five-month arrears from the updated Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, and unpaid specialty and hazard allowances are some of the complaints.
The decision, according to NARD, came after a six-hour virtual Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting and the government's 21-day deadline, which was first given in July 2025 and then extended by 10 days, expired on September 10.
After that, the physicians offered the government one last day, which ended on Thursday, September 11.
The E-NEC was disappointed that the Federal Government had not yet addressed important welfare concerns in spite of these repeated extensions, and that the organization was forced to take industrial action.