National-Association-of-Resident-Doctors-NARD
Abayomi Susan
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the Federal Government a four-week ultimatum to implement agreements reached during negotiations, suspending their indefinite strike that lasted 29 days. The strike, which began on November 1, 2025, was suspended following deliberations at an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government.
The MoU addresses NARD’s 19-point demands, including payment of promotion arrears, salary arrears, specialist allowance, and reinstatement of the “Lokoja Five” doctors. The Federal Government has been given four weeks to fulfill these commitments, with warnings that the strike will resume if not implemented .
According to NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, two of the seven demands have already been met, including the release of the Professional Allowance Table and the directive setting the entry level for doctors at CONMESS 3. The remaining five demands are expected to be addressed within the four-week period.
The strike, which involved about 11,000 resident doctors across 91 teaching hospitals, significantly disrupted healthcare delivery across the country. NARD’s Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, emphasized that the suspension is conditional, and the association will not hesitate to resume the strike if the government defaults on its commitments
The Federal Government has made progress on some of the demands, including payment of arrears of the 25% and 35% CONMESS review up to December 2023. However, some issues remain unresolved, particularly in state tertiary hospitals.
NARD’s decision to suspend the strike is seen as a gesture of goodwill, allowing time to monitor the implementation of their demands. The association has urged its members to stay determined and sincere, expressing confidence in success .
