The National Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Port Harcourt has aligned with its national leadership in pressing for the full execution of a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Federal Government, warning that it may resume a nationwide strike regardless of a subsisting court injunction.
The MoU, drawn from NARD’s nineteen-point demands, focuses on key issues of welfare, pay, and professional practice affecting resident doctors across Nigeria’s health system.
On Friday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja issued an order restraining NARD and its members from embarking on the strike earlier scheduled to begin on January 12.
Justice Subilim granted the order following a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation, after arguments presented by the Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maimuna Lami Shiru, who led a team of government lawyers.
Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, NARD Uniport President, Dr Ezinne Kalu, said the association had suspended its strike in November 2025 in good faith, based on assurances that the agreement would be implemented.
“We had suspended our strike November last year with the agreement that the MOU that is being signed by NARD was going to be implemented by the federal government. Unfortunately, it’s not been implemented.
“Hence, we reconvened via an E-NEC, which is the highest decision-making body for the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, on the 2nd of January, 2026.”
Dr Kalu explained that the council assessed feedback from engagements with the Federal Government and evaluated compliance with agreed commitments, leading to the issuance of a communiqué signed by National President Dr Mohammad Suleiman, General Secretary Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity Secretary Abdulmajid Ibrahim.
According to the communiqué, the council raised deep concerns over several unresolved matters, including the redeployment of five disengaged resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, contrary to committee recommendations; delays in promotions and salary arrears; partial application of the Professional Allowance Table; lack of clarity around entry-level placements; and continued exclusion from Specialist Allowance payments.
Other issues highlighted were delayed House Officers’ salaries, re-categorisation of membership certificates, slow regulation of locum engagements, prolonged work hours, stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement processes, unpaid salaries and allowances across multiple institutions, unresolved arrears affecting about 40 per cent of members, decaying infrastructure and obsolete equipment in hospitals, delays in Special Pension Benefits, and sluggish progress on other previously agreed demands.
The National Executive Council demanded immediate government action, including the reinstatement of the five Lokoja doctors, full payment of outstanding arrears, comprehensive implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, clarification of entry-level placements, payment of Specialist Allowances, and settlement of House Officers’ salary backlogs.
The council warned that failure to act would compel the union to resume the earlier suspended indefinite strike from 12:00 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026.
It directed all members across ninety-one tertiary health institutions nationwide to withdraw services completely and indefinitely until the Federal Government and affected state governments show “clear, concrete, and genuine commitment” to meeting the association’s demands.
NARD also instructed its leadership at all levels to begin coordinated peaceful protests should the government fail to respond adequately.
The council expressed appreciation to selected government officials and institutions for their engagement, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Wilson-Jack; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo; Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Chief Wale Edun.
What you should know
NARD’s renewed threat of industrial action highlights persistent tensions between resident doctors and the Federal Government over unfulfilled agreements.
Despite a court injunction barring the strike, the association insists that delays in implementing agreed welfare and remuneration measures have worsened working conditions in public hospitals. The dispute affects over ninety tertiary health institutions nationwide and raises concerns about disruptions to healthcare delivery if talks collapse.
The situation underscores broader challenges in Nigeria’s health sector, including funding gaps, workforce dissatisfaction, and slow execution of negotiated reforms between labour unions and government authorities.
