Sunday, January 4, 2026 - Resident doctors in Nigeria have announced plans to resume a nationwide strike on January 12, citing the Federal Government’s failure to fully implement agreements reached during negotiations that led to the suspension of an earlier strike.
This is according to a statement issued by the Nigerian
Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) following an emergency virtual meeting
of its National Executive Council, as first reported by the News Agency of
Nigeria.
The planned strike, described by the association as total,
indefinite, and comprehensive, is a continuation of the industrial action
suspended in November 2025 after weeks of talks with government officials.
The association said the resumption of the strike,
tagged “TICS 2.0: No Implementation, No Going Back,” would commence at
midnight on January 12, warning that key provisions of the memorandum of
understanding signed with the government had not been implemented within the
agreed timeline.
Excerpt from the statement reads,
“Dear Nigerians, NEC have resolved to resume
TICS 2.0 action following the failure of FGN / FMoH & SW
to honour the signed MoU. Goodwill has been exhausted.
Implementation remains stalled.”
According to the association, resident doctors across the
country’s 91 accredited training centres have been directed to hold
congress meetings and brief the media to publicise the impending
industrial action.
The association also disclosed plans to “saturate public spaces” with information about
the strike in the days leading up to January 12, as part of efforts to engage
the public and stakeholders.
In addition to withdrawing medical services, NARD said it
would embark on coordinated protests, with centre-based demonstrations
scheduled from January 12 to January 16. These would be followed by zonal
protests led by caucus leaders, and later, a nationwide
protest organised by the association’s national officers.
NARD stated that it would only consider suspending
the strike after the full implementation of its minimum demands.
Key among these demands are the reinstatement of
five resident doctors disengaged from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja,
and the payment of outstanding promotion arrears and salary shortfalls.
The association is also demanding the full implementation of
the professional allowance table, with arrears captured in the 2026 federal
budget.
Other demands include official clarification from the
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on issues related to skipping and
entry-level placement, as well as the reintroduction and implementation of a
specialist allowance.
Resident doctors are further calling for the resolution of
salary delays affecting house officers, the issuance of a pay advisory, and
reforms in postgraduate medical training.
These include the re-categorization of membership
certificates and the issuance of certificates after Part I examinations by the
National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
NARD also wants the immediate commencement of committees to
regulate locum work and working hours, as well as the resumption
and timely conclusion of collective bargaining negotiations.
The planned strike follows the suspension of a 29-day
nationwide strike on November 29, 2025, which began on November 1.
At the time, NARD granted the Federal Government a four-week
window to implement agreed demands. The association now says that the deadline
has elapsed without meaningful compliance.
Resident doctors had cited poor welfare conditions, unpaid
arrears, and training-related challenges as key drivers of
the initial strike action.
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