Nigerian resident doctors have announced an indefinite nationwide strike set to commence on November 1, 2025, due to unmet demands.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) indicated that the government is in arrears of approximately N38 billion in salaries owed to around 50,000 health workers over the past two years, not including various allowances.
The decision for the indefinite strike schedule to commence on November 1 was made following an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting.
NARD President Dr. Mohammed Usman Suleiman, while addressing journalists, urged members to complete their final ward rounds and transfer patient care to consultants prior to ceasing operations.
The union's 19-point demands include:
- Immediate payment of specialist allowances to all physicians involved in specialist care delivery.
- Adjustment of entry-level placements to appropriate salary grades.
- Decentralization and streamlining of promotion and upgrading processes to enhance training and service efficiency.
The impending strike poses a significant risk of disrupting public healthcare services nationwide if the government fails to adequately address the outlined grievances before the designated date.
Dr. Suleiman expressed concern regarding the government's continuous neglect of the legitimate demands of the medical professionals.
He highlighted, with considerable disappointment, that despite multiple attempts to engage in dialogue and extending deadlines as a demonstration of goodwill, the government has not responded sufficiently to their requests.
Additionally, he remarked that some of the salary arrears owed by the government have persisted for over a decade and pointed out the government's failure to adjust even the basic compensation for physicians in Nigeria for the past 16 years.
He stated, “It is inconceivable that individuals in positions such as permanent secretaries, directors, ministers, and legislators at various levels are not subjected to the same payment delays. In contrast, essential workers, including healthcare professionals and educators, face significant financial challenges.”
Dr. Suleiman emphasized the importance of this moment, noting that this marks the first instance of declaring a total strike in three years, with the last prolonged strike extending beyond 48 hours occurring some time ago. He underscored the extensive dialogue undertaken over the past three years, which has culminated in this decision.