By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared an indefinite nationwide strike set to begin at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2025, following the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government over unresolved welfare and policy grievances.
NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, announced the decision in a statement on Sunday, explaining that the move followed a five-hour extraordinary meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) held on Saturday.
“The NEC has marshalled out minimum demands, strike monitoring directives, and ‘no work, no pay/no pay, no work’ resolutions needed for the successful execution of this action,” Suleiman said.
He added that the National Officers Committee (NOC) has been mandated to ensure full compliance across all centres, while NARD’s centre presidents and general secretaries have been directed to convene emergency congress meetings to brief members on the resolutions.
Suleiman accused some government and non-government actors of “evil and exploitative plans” against resident doctors, warning that the association would “collectively resist” such actions. He also urged members to use the coming days to hand over patients, engage community leaders, and sensitise the public on the reasons behind the strike.
The strike is expected to paralyse medical services nationwide, as resident doctors form the core workforce of Nigeria’s public healthcare system.
The association’s grievances include the non-payment of arrears from the 25% and 35% upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), excessive work hours, and the dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
NARD also decried the government’s failure to pay 2024 accoutrement allowances, outstanding promotion arrears, and to upgrade resident doctors’ ranks after completing postgraduate medical exams — actions which have delayed payment of new salary scales and accumulated arrears.
The doctors further faulted their exclusion from specialist allowances and condemned a policy removing medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme, which they said denies them fair pay and career progression.
Additionally, the group criticised the downgrading of newly employed resident doctors from CONMESS 3 Step 3 to CONMESS 2 Step 2, resulting in salary reductions and unpaid arrears in several federal hospitals.
NARD had on September 26 issued a one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to address these long-standing issues affecting the welfare and training of resident doctors and medical officers nationwide.
