Resident doctors give FG 14 days to act on welfare demands
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to begin implementing outstanding agreements on doctors’ welfare and working conditions, warning that failure to act could lead to further industrial action.
The ultimatum takes effect on October 1, 2026, according to a communiqué issued after NARD’s 46th Annual General Meeting in Calabar, Cross River State.
It does not mean resident doctors are currently on strike.
NARD said its National Executive Council would monitor the government’s response during the two-week window before deciding on further action.
Doctors demand payment of outstanding arrears
NARD said its demands include payment of 19 months of outstanding Professional Allowance Table arrears.
The association also wants outstanding arrears arising from the 25/35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure paid to affected health workers.
It said some doctors in federal health institutions were still owed salary and promotion arrears.
NARD also called for corrections to omissions and errors in the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund and wants the fund reviewed to reflect the current cost of residency training.
The association wants the reviewed training fund captured in the 2027 federal budget.
Workload and manpower shortages also on agenda
NARD called for faster conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Nigerian Medical Association and the Federal Government.
It also wants what it described as a sustainable recruitment system to address manpower shortages.
Another demand concerns implementation of the approved work-hour regulation policy.
The association wants functional systems for recording working hours and a standardised method for compensating medical personnel carrying workloads beyond their normal duties.
NARD also called for implementation of measures protecting health workers from assault and for outstanding pension contributions to be paid.
Hospital infrastructure enters dispute
The association said inadequate infrastructure and equipment were affecting patient safety, healthcare delivery and resident-doctor training.
It called for improvements to hospital infrastructure, equipment and essential medical facilities.
Those claims reflect NARD’s assessment of conditions in the health system and should not be read as an independent audit of every federal health institution.
No fresh FG response identified
IDNN had not identified a fresh Federal Government response specifically addressing the September 28 ultimatum at the time of this review.
The government has previously defended its handling of resident doctors’ demands and cited salary adjustments and ongoing collective-bargaining efforts, but those earlier statements do not amount to a response to the new ultimatum.
Ultimatum raises risk of another health-sector dispute
NARD said the Federal Government has until the end of the 14-day window to demonstrate meaningful implementation of its resolutions.
If that does not happen, the association said it could take lawful action, including further industrial action.
The warning follows earlier disputes between resident doctors and the government in 2026, including a brief strike in April and another ultimatum in June.
Those earlier disputes do not establish that the latest ultimatum will result in a strike.
The immediate accountability question is what the Federal Government will implement before the new deadline — and which outstanding payments, agreements and workplace measures can be resolved within that period.
For patients, the key concern is whether the dispute can be settled without disrupting hospital services.
No service disruption has been established from this latest ultimatum itself.
IDNN will track the Federal Government’s response, implementation of the listed demands and any decision by NARD on industrial action after the ultimatum period.
