Nigeria: Resident Doctors Give Govt 14-Day Ultimatum to Meet Demands or Face Industrial Action

What the report says

Resident doctors in Nigeria have given the federal government a 14-day deadline, starting 1 October 2026, to begin carrying out outstanding agreements on pay, allowances and working conditions or face further industrial action. The warning came in a communiqué issued after the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) held its 46th annual general meeting in Calabar, Cross River State, from 21 to 26 September.

According to the association, unresolved issues include 19 months of unpaid Professional Allowance Table arrears, salary and promotion arrears in federal health institutions, and errors affecting the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund. The doctors also want the government to advance talks on a long-running collective bargaining agreement, review the salary structure for medical workers, and improve staffing, work-hour monitoring and protections for health workers.

NARD said the delays have persisted despite earlier engagements with authorities and have contributed to pressure on the health system. The group also linked poor infrastructure, equipment shortages and manpower gaps to concerns about patient safety and training quality. In general, resident doctors in Nigeria have repeatedly threatened or suspended strikes in recent years over similar welfare and funding disputes, underscoring the recurring nature of the conflict.

The association said its leadership will monitor the government’s response over the next two weeks and may take lawful steps, including industrial action, if there is no meaningful progress by the deadline.