Resident doctors across Nigeria have declared an indefinite nationwide strike from midnight on Tuesday, escalating a long-running dispute over pay and welfare that threatens to paralyse services in public hospitals.
The action, announced by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), follows an emergency meeting of its national executive council, where members resolved to withdraw services over what they describe as the federal government’s plan to halt implementation of a revised Professional Allowance Table.
Speaking after the meeting, NARD president Shuaibu Ibrahim said the decision to strike was “unfortunate” but unavoidable, blaming authorities for pushing doctors back into industrial action.
“The council was informed of the government’s decision to remove the Professional Allowance Table,” he said. “After extensive deliberations, we resolved to embark on a total and comprehensive strike beginning at 12:00am on Tuesday, April 7.”
The disputed allowance framework formed a central part of an agreement reached after a prolonged strike in 2025, when doctors secured commitments on improved remuneration. The package included enhanced payments for call duties, shift work, rural postings and other non-clinical responsibilities.
Although implementation was initially scheduled for January 2026, delays saw the rollout pushed to February. NARD now alleges that the government intends to discontinue the scheme entirely by April, a move the union says breaches trust and violates earlier agreements.
The breakdown highlights a familiar fault line in Nigeria’s health sector, where disputes over salaries and working conditions have repeatedly triggered strikes by medical unions, including the Nigerian Medical Association. Such stoppages have historically curtailed access to care, particularly in public hospitals that serve the majority of the population.
Outlining its demands, the association called for an immediate reversal of the policy, payment of outstanding promotion and salary arrears, and the release of funds for residency training in 2026. It also insisted on the settlement of 19 months’ unpaid professional allowance arrears.
“We call on our members to remain united in the face of this injustice,” Ibrahim said, urging doctors nationwide to sustain the action until their demands are met.
Health experts warn the strike could place further strain on an already overstretched system. Resident doctors provide a substantial share of frontline care in tertiary hospitals, and their absence is likely to disrupt outpatient services, delay surgeries and shift demand towards private facilities.
Nigeria faces a chronic shortage of medical personnel, with doctor-to-patient ratios far below the benchmark recommended by the World Health Organization. Estimates suggest there is roughly one doctor for every 5,000 patients, compared with the WHO’s guideline of one to 600.
For patients, the prospect of an open-ended strike raises the likelihood of longer waiting times, reduced access to critical services and increased costs, deepening pressure on a health system already under significant stress.
