Doctors Give FG 14 Days to Act on Their Demands or Face Strike

Resident doctors have given the federal government a 14-day notice to start implementing agreements about their welfare and working conditions or they will take further action.

This notice takes effect from 1 October 2026. It was announced in a statement from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors' (NARD) 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Calabar, Cross River State.

The statement was signed by the new President, Ogar Idoko, Secretary-General, Besongngem Akotanchi, and Publicity and Social Secretary, Ashimom Msughter. The meeting took place from 21 to 26 September.

The doctors said this ultimatum was necessary because of ongoing delays in fixing several welfare and professional issues. They noted that the government had made previous promises without action.

The resident doctors are asking for the immediate payment of 19 months of unpaid Professional Allowance Table (PAT) arrears. They also want payment for the outstanding amounts from the 25/35 percent increase in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors and other health workers.

Many medical doctors are still owed salary and promotion arrears in different federal health institutions. They also demand immediate corrections for mistakes in the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). They want the fund to be increased to match the current cost of residency training.

The doctors said the revised MRTF should also be included in the 2027 Appropriation Act. They are also calling for a speedy end to the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Nigerian Medical Association and the federal government.

The unresolved review of the CONMESS salary structure has been pending for about 17 years. This issue is causing brain drain in the health sector.

The association is also asking for a reliable recruitment system to solve the serious shortages of health workers caused by this brain drain. They want to ensure safe and effective healthcare delivery.

They demand the implementation of the approved work-hour regulation policy. This includes functional biometric systems to track working hours and a fair system to compensate doctors for extra work.

The doctors are calling for the enforcement of the Assault on Health Workers Prevention Policy in all health institutions. They also want the payment of unpaid pension contributions.

The association is asking for urgent improvements in healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment, and essential facilities across the country. They stated that poor infrastructure and lack of equipment are risking patient safety and affecting healthcare delivery and the training of resident doctors.

The AGM has mandated the NARD National Executive Council (NEC) to closely watch the government's response over the next two weeks. The association said it would take all lawful actions, including more strikes, if the authorities do not show meaningful progress within the set time.

This latest ultimatum comes after several disputes between resident doctors and the federal government this year. In January, the doctors stopped a planned nationwide strike after the National Industrial Court stopped them, and the government made new promises.

In April, resident doctors went on a nationwide strike over the reversal of the Professional Allowance Table and other unpaid financial obligations. This strike was called off in less than 24 hours due to government intervention.

In June, the association announced another 21-day ultimatum over unpaid allowances, salary arrears, and delays in the residency training fund. The latest ultimatum gives the federal government until 1 October to start showing real progress on the resolutions in this statement.