Resident Doctors Suspend Strike, Give FG Two Weeks to Meet Demands Amid Healthcare Challenges
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended their five-day strike, halting industrial action that began on September 12, 2025, as the Federal Government made commitments to begin addressing some of their critical demands. While the decision to suspend the strike is a relief for Nigeria’s strained healthcare system, the doctors have given the government an additional two-week ultimatum to fully meet outstanding requirements, warning that failure to do so may trigger fresh industrial action.
The strike, which disrupted services in public hospitals nationwide, stemmed from unresolved issues including unpaid allowances, salary arrears, and welfare concerns that had persisted for months. Resident doctors are a vital pillar of Nigeria’s healthcare structure, especially in emergency wards and public hospitals, representing about 15,000 practitioners within the larger physician workforce. Their withdrawal threatened to overwhelm consultants and other health workers, leaving patients stranded and healthcare delivery severely limited.
NARD President Dr. Tope Osundara confirmed the suspension in a WhatsApp message on the evening of September 13, stating, “Some of our demands have been met. The government has promised to look into other issues. Strike suspended; resumption of work tomorrow. We did this as a sign of goodwill and to assist Nigerians who are seeking healthcare in our various facilities.” The key demand addressed so far was the commencement of payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025, a critical allowance for resident doctors undergoing specialized training.
The doctors’ grievances encompassed several urgent issues:
- Immediate payment of outstanding 2025 MRTF
- Settlement of five months of arrears under the 25–35% Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review
- Payment of 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears
- Prompt disbursement of specialist and hazard allowances
- Recognition restoration of West African postgraduate membership certificates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria
- Addressing welfare concerns among resident doctors at teaching hospitals such as Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.
The strike followed a series of escalating ultimatums that began with a 21-day deadline issued in July and later extended by 10 days. After government inaction, the doctors gave a final 24-hour ultimatum before commencing the strike, signaling mounting frustrations over chronic underfunding and poor management in Nigeria’s public health sector. The sector has suffered from repeated strikes in recent years, notably three strikes in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities.
Experts and eyewitnesses emphasize the real-life impact of these disruptions on ordinary Nigerians. Patients faced long waits, postponed surgeries, and overburdened emergency rooms as hospitals struggled to cope without the core resident doctor workforce. Dr. Osundara remarked that the strike suspension was motivated partly by concern for patients seeking care, underscoring doctors’ commitment to public welfare despite industrial disputes.
Looking ahead, NARD has empowered resident doctors in states to continue local industrial actions until state governments adequately address their demands. The federal ultimatum now provides a two-week period for the government to fully implement promises made during recent engagements with the Minister of Labour and Minister of State for Health. Failure to meet the demands within this period could prompt an indefinite solidarity strike, amplifying pressures on Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system.
In conclusion, while the suspension of the resident doctors’ strike offers temporary respite to Nigeria’s public healthcare, the challenges remain substantial. The government faces urgent calls to meet commitments to pay outstanding allowances and improve welfare to prevent further disruptions. The two-week deadline is a critical window for action that could define the stability of healthcare delivery in the coming months. Continued dialogue, transparent implementation of agreements, and strategic investment in healthcare infrastructure are essential next steps to ensure a healthy Nigeria for all.
This strike episode underscores the delicate balance between industrial action and healthcare access and invites policymakers to address deep-seated funding and management issues that compromise frontline medical services across Nigeria.
