Hospitals across Nigeria have been thrown into disarray as the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Saturday began an indefinite nationwide strike to press home long-standing demands for improved welfare, working conditions, and healthcare infrastructure.
The strike action, which officially commenced on Saturday, November 1, 2025, follows the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government after what NARD described as repeated failures to honor previous agreements and implement resolutions reached during multiple rounds of negotiations.
In a statement released on NARD’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the association’s president, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, said the decision to embark on a total and comprehensive strike was reached after all other options had been exhausted.
“We wish to address you at this critical time as we embark on a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike, a decision that did not come lightly, nor was it ever our desire,” Suleiman stated.
“We are fully aware of the pains and inconveniences that accompany any disruption in healthcare services, and we deeply regret the situation. However, the government has left us with no choice.”
Dr. Suleiman explained that the strike was not politically motivated but rather a necessary step to protect the future of Nigeria’s health system and safeguard the well-being of both doctors and patients.
NARD listed several unresolved issues as the basis for the strike, including:
- Excessive workload faced by resident doctors in under-staffed hospitals.
- Non-payment of salary arrears and allowances owed to members.
- Poor remuneration and failure to review hazard allowances in line with current realities.
- Inadequate working conditions and dilapidated hospital infrastructure.
- Shortage of manpower due to the mass exodus of medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
- Lack of essential medical equipment required to deliver quality patient care.
“These are not selfish demands,” Dr. Suleiman said. “They are genuine, germane, and patriotic. A resident doctor who is overworked, underpaid, and mentally exhausted cannot offer optimal care to the patient who needs them most.”
Reports from several tertiary hospitals indicate that many departments have already been shut down, with only consultants and a few medical officers left to attend to emergency cases.
In states such as Lagos, Kano, Rivers, and Kaduna, patients have been seen leaving hospital premises after being informed that resident doctors were no longer attending to cases.
Some hospital managements have expressed concern that prolonged industrial action could further worsen Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system, which is already battling with shortages of medical staff and inadequate facilities.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch of NARD has also joined the strike, citing additional grievances peculiar to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). In a separate statement, the Abuja chapter said its members would stand in solidarity with the national body until all outstanding issues were resolved.
In his address, Dr. Suleiman appealed to Nigerians to understand the association’s position and lend their voices in urging the government to act swiftly.
“This is not a fight between doctors and government; it is a struggle for a functional, just, and humane healthcare system,” he said.
“We fight not for personal gain but for the creation of a system that allows doctors to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care to patients in an environment that supports their mental and physical well-being.”
He also warned that if the government continues to neglect the welfare of health workers, the ongoing “brain drain” could deepen, leaving the country’s health system in a state of collapse.
“A nation’s health system can only be as strong as the hands that sustain it. If the doctors are broken, under-motivated, or forced to seek survival abroad, the patients suffer most,” he emphasized.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Federal Ministry of Health or the Presidency regarding the strike. Previous negotiations between NARD and government representatives reportedly ended without concrete commitments being implemented.
Health analysts have warned that the indefinite strike could have dire consequences for millions of Nigerians, particularly those dependent on public hospitals for critical medical care.
Civil society organizations and labour unions are also being called upon by NARD to intervene and mediate between the association and the government to bring an end to the impasse.
This is not the first time resident doctors are embarking on industrial action. The association has in recent years carried out several strikes over similar issues — most notably in 2021 and 2023, when prolonged disputes with the government led to weeks of disruption in hospital services nationwide.
Observers say the recurring nature of these strikes highlights systemic challenges within Nigeria’s healthcare sector, including chronic underfunding, poor infrastructure, and the mass migration of healthcare workers to foreign countries in search of better opportunities.
As hospitals across Nigeria remain under lock and key, many citizens are left uncertain about access to essential healthcare services.
While NARD maintains that the strike is necessary to secure the long-term stability of the nation’s health system, the immediate impact on patients and healthcare delivery is already being felt.
Unless the Federal Government acts swiftly to meet the doctors’ demands, Nigeria’s healthcare system may face one of its most serious crises in recent years.
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