Prosper Okoye
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors said it will begin an indefinite nationwide strike from midnight Tuesday after accusing the federal government of halting the implementation of a revised pay structure.
NARD Secretary-General Shuaibu Ibrahim announced the decision following a virtual meeting of the association’s National Executive Council on Saturday.
He described the government’s move to stop the revised Professional Allowance Table (PAT) as “unfortunate” and said it had pushed doctors toward another round of industrial action.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“Following extensive deliberations, the NEC resolved to embark on a total and comprehensive strike beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2026,” Ibrahim said.
The dispute stems from a pay agreement reached after a prolonged strike in 2025, which included improved allowances for resident doctors such as call duty, shift work, rural postings and non-clinical duties.
Although implementation was initially scheduled for January 2026 and later shifted to February, the association said the government now plans to discontinue the process by April, a move it described as a breach of agreement that undermines trust.
NARD is demanding an immediate reversal of the decision and payment of outstanding entitlements, including promotion arrears, salary arrears in some centres and the completion of payments under the 2026 medical residency training fund.
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The association also called for the settlement of 19 months of unpaid professional allowance arrears and urged its members nationwide to remain united as the strike begins.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
