Nigerian Resident Doctors Threaten Nationwide Strike Over Unfulfilled Government Agreement
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned of an imminent nationwide industrial action, dubbed Total and Indefinite Comprehensive Strike (TICS 2.0), following the Federal Government's failure to implement a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The threat comes just over a month after NARD suspended a 29-day indefinite strike on November 29, 2025. That earlier action, which began on November 1, disrupted healthcare services across approximately 91 federal and state teaching hospitals, affecting millions of patients and highlighting chronic issues in the sector.
Under the MoU signed with the Federal Government, authorities committed to addressing key demands—including payment of outstanding arrears, specialist allowances, reinstatement of disengaged doctors in Lokoja, promotion arrears, and career upgrades—within a strict four-week timeline. However, as of December 29, marking the 31st day since the agreement, NARD reports no substantive progress or visible implementation.
In an urgent appeal posted on X on December 28, NARD Secretary-General Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim described the situation as a "breakdown of trust, sincerity, and good faith in government–professional relations". He recounted the association's repeated patience, including multiple extensions of ultimatums before the initial strike.
"Today marks the 31st day after the signing of the MoU, yet there has been no visible or substantive progress on its implementation," Dr Ibrahim wrote. "It is important to emphasise that NARD has shown uncommon restraint and patriotism. Strikes were suspended, timelines were extended, and multiple conciliatory meetings were honoured, all in the hope that commitments made by the government would translate into concrete action. Regrettably, most of these commitments remain unfulfilled, while agreed deadlines have been ignored without explanation."
Dr Ibrahim further emphasised the critical role of resident doctors as "the backbone of service delivery in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals," noting they remain overworked, demoralised, and at risk of burnout. He appealed directly to senior medical professionals and elders to intervene with the Federal Ministry of Health and the government to honour the agreement and avert the crisis.
"Distinguished elders, your timely intervention can still avert this looming crisis, restore confidence, and prevent yet another avoidable disruption to healthcare services across the country," he stated. "History has shown that when respected medical elders speak, governments listen."
The latest developments follow a pattern of recurring disputes in Nigeria's health sector, where similar issues—unpaid allowances, salary arrears, manpower shortages, and poor working conditions—have triggered multiple strikes in recent years. The November strike was suspended after partial progress on some demands, with NARD confirming two issues addressed while granting the government four weeks for the rest.
Healthcare stakeholders and patients now face uncertainty, as a resumption of strike action by resident doctors—who handle a significant portion of tertiary care—could once again paralyse non-emergency services nationwide.
