The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued 19 demands, describing them as the minimum conditions required to avert a total and indefinite nationwide strike set to begin on Saturday.
NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, announced this on Monday in Abuja during a media briefing to present the resolutions of the association’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. The meeting followed the expiration of NARD’s 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government.
Dr. Suleiman said the association had shown patience “for too long” despite the government’s inaction, warning that doctors had already begun ward rounds and patient handovers in preparation for the planned industrial action.
He explained that the outstanding payments and welfare issues affect not only resident doctors but all categories of health workers, including administrative staff.
According to him, the government currently owes doctors and other health workers an estimated ₦38 billion in accumulated allowances, some dating back over a decade.
“There are allowances of over two years, some for 18 months, seven months, four months, and even 10 years,” Suleiman said. “There has also been a failure to review doctors’ basic salaries for 16 years.”
He recalled that NARD had suspended a five-day warning strike in September and extended its ultimatum by 30 days to give the government time to act. However, he said that grace period expired without meaningful engagement.
“The Federal Government has failed to demonstrate the political will necessary to address the legitimate concerns of Nigerian resident doctors,” he said.
Dr. Suleiman stated that the 19-point demand represented the least the association expected to prevent “a total collapse of service delivery in the country’s public health system.”
Among the key demands are the immediate payment of outstanding 25–35 per cent CONMESS arrears and the 2024 accoutrement allowance, as well as other financial entitlements owed to doctors and health workers.
The NEC also called for the reinstatement of five resident doctors unjustly dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, with full payment of their outstanding salaries and allowances.
It further urged the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to implement a humane working-hours policy for doctors, in line with international best practices, to safeguard both physician welfare and patient safety.
Other demands include granting hospital Chief Executives greater autonomy to recruit replacements for exiting staff through immediate implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy, and urgent upgrades of infrastructure and equipment in healthcare facilities nationwide.
NARD is also demanding payment of specialist allowances to all doctors, inclusion of house officers in the civil service scheme with full entitlements, correction of entry-level placements, decentralisation of promotion processes, and payment of arrears arising from such corrections.
The association further urged speedy conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement Committee’s work on the long-overdue review of CONMESS and related allowances, as well as enforcement of salary relativity between CONMESS and CONHESS structures.
Dr. Suleiman also called for an end to the casualisation of doctors, the regularisation of all locum staff, and payment of promotion arrears owed to medical officers.
He said NARD expected uniform implementation of all CONMESS circulars across federal, state, and private institutions, clearance of salary arrears, and enforcement of special pension benefits earlier agreed upon with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
“Following the failure of government to meet these demands, NARD hereby declares a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike commencing at 12:00 a.m. on Saturday,” Suleiman said.
“All resident doctors in federal and state tertiary institutions nationwide are directed to withdraw their services completely until the Federal Government and affected states demonstrate genuine commitment to addressing our demands.”
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene to avert the strike.
“You are the father of the nation,” he said. “Please, come into this matter, weigh in on it, and resolve it for us.”
Over the years, NARD has embarked on several strikes to press for improved welfare, remuneration, and working conditions—actions that have repeatedly paralysed services in public hospitals and left patients stranded.
