Resident doctors are once again driving tension across Nigeria’s health sector, as they prepare for fresh action.
Strike Returns January 12
First, they plan to resume a nationwide strike on January 12.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors reached the decision during an emergency virtual meeting.
According to NARD, the Federal Government failed to implement agreements from earlier negotiations.
As a result, the doctors are reviving a strike they suspended in November 2025 after weeks of talks.
They have tagged the action “TICS 2.0: No Implementation, No Going Back” and plan to run it indefinitely.
The strike will begin at midnight on January 12.
Resident Doctors Plan Protests
In its statement, NARD accused government agencies of ignoring the signed memorandum of understanding.
Consequently, the association said goodwill has run out after repeated missed deadlines.
Meanwhile, resident doctors across 91 accredited training centres will hold congress meetings.
At the same time, they will brief the media ahead of the strike.
In addition, NARD plans to flood public spaces with information nationwide.
Once the strike begins, doctors will withdraw medical services.
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Beyond that, the association will organise coordinated protests across the country.
Centre-based protests will take place from 12 to 16 January.
Afterwards, zonal protests will follow under regional caucus leaders.
Eventually, national officers will lead a nationwide protest.
Core Demands Remain Unmet
NARD insists it will suspend the strike only after full implementation of its demands.
To begin with, the doctors want authorities to reinstate five colleagues disengaged in Lokoja.
They also demand payment of unpaid promotion arrears and salary shortfalls.
Furthermore, they want full implementation of the professional allowance table.
They expect the government to capture arrears in the 2026 federal budget.
In addition, NARD seeks clear guidance on entry-level placement and skipping.
The association also wants authorities to restore the specialist allowance.
Resident doctors further demand solutions to salary delays affecting house officers.
At the same time, they are pushing for reforms in postgraduate medical training.
These reforms include timely issuance of examination certificates.
NARD also demands regulation of locum work and working hours.
Finally, the association wants collective bargaining talks to resume immediately.
The planned strike follows a 29-day nationwide strike that doctors suspended on November 29, 2025.
At the time, they gave the government four weeks to act.
However, NARD says the deadline passed without meaningful progress.
Poor welfare, unpaid arrears and training challenges remain unresolved.
For now, resident doctors say they will stay away from work until the government takes concrete action.
