Unmet demands: Resident doctors begin indefinite nationwide strike

Medical services across Nigeria have been thrown into disarray following the commencement of an indefinite strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which began on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

Confirming the industrial action in a statement, NARD President Dr. Mohammad Suleiman said the strike was necessitated by the Federal Government’s failure to implement previously agreed terms, despite multiple meetings, warnings, and appeals.

“We embark on this total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike not out of desire but out of necessity,” Suleiman stated. “Our decision follows the Federal Government’s continued neglect of our legitimate demands and the worsening state of Nigeria’s health system.”

He explained that the association had exhausted all peaceful avenues and emphasized that the doctors’ demands were not self-serving but aimed at rescuing Nigeria’s deteriorating healthcare infrastructure.

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“Our demands are not selfish nor politically motivated. They are centred on ensuring that doctors can provide safe, effective, and compassionate care in an environment that safeguards their physical and mental well-being,” he said.

Among the key issues raised by NARD are unpaid salary arrears, inadequate staffing, poor working conditions, excessive workloads, and a lack of essential medical infrastructure—all of which have severely hampered healthcare delivery nationwide.

Suleiman also warned that the ongoing exodus of medical professionals to foreign countries would continue unless urgent reforms were implemented.

“A nation’s health system is only as strong as the doctors who sustain it. If those doctors are broken, demotivated, or forced to seek survival elsewhere, the patients suffer most,” he said.

Calling for public support, Suleiman urged Nigerians—including civil society groups, labour unions, and traditional and religious leaders—to stand in solidarity with the doctors.

“This is not a fight against the government but a struggle for a functional and humane healthcare system. We appeal to Nigerians to stand with us so hospitals can reopen and patients can once again access the care they deserve,” he added.

The strike follows the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government, which NARD says lapsed without any meaningful progress. Hospitals across the country are expected to experience significant service disruptions as the strike takes hold.

Unmet demands: Resident doctors begin indefinite nationwide strike