Resident Doctors Begin Indefinite Nationwide Strike Tuesday

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced an indefinite nationwide strike beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The decision, reached at the end of the association’s virtual Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held on Saturday, follows the Federal Government’s alleged plan to halt the implementation of the revised Professional Allowance Table.

NARD National President, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, described the development as unfortunate, blaming the government for pushing doctors toward another industrial action. He said the council resolved to embark on a total and comprehensive strike after extensive deliberations.

The crisis stems from a revised Professional Allowance Table negotiated between NARD and the Federal Government following a prolonged strike in 2025. The agreement included improved remuneration packages such as call duty allowances, shift allowances, rural posting incentives, and non-clinical duty payments. Although implementation was initially scheduled for January 2026 and later pushed to February, the association alleges the government now plans to discontinue the process by April.

Outlining the association’s demands, Ibrahim called for the immediate reversal of the government’s decision, settlement of all outstanding entitlements, payment of promotion and salary arrears, prompt conclusion of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund process, and processing of 19 months’ outstanding Professional Allowance arrears.

The planned strike threatens to disrupt healthcare services across public hospitals in Nigeria, where resident doctors handle a large proportion of patient care. With Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio far below World Health Organization recommendations, an indefinite strike could lead to shutdown of outpatient services, surgery delays, and increased pressure on private facilities.

Stakeholders have called for urgent intervention to avert another disruption, warning that repeated strikes may worsen the brain drain of Nigerian doctors seeking better working conditions abroad.