By Dalena Reporters l January 2, 2026
ABUJA / LAGOS — The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has convened an emergency national executive council meeting amid indications that a fresh nationwide doctors’ strike may be imminent if ongoing demands for improved welfare, working conditions and government engagement remain unaddressed. The development underscores deepening tensions between the medical community and authorities over lingering labour and health-sector policy issues.
In a statement issued following the meeting, NARD leadership said the emergency session was necessary to “take stock of the current state of affairs” and to determine “decisive steps forward” after what the association described as prolonged delays by government authorities in honouring previously agreed commitments. The union said it would shortly communicate its next line of action to members nationwide.
NARD — the umbrella body representing resident doctors across tertiary hospitals in Nigeria has in recent years been at the forefront of health-sector labour disputes, particularly over salary arrears, hazard allowances, poor funding of teaching hospitals, and inadequate welfare provisions. The emergency meeting signals that frustrations remain high and that the risk of job disruption is growing as 2026 begins.
While NARD did not immediately specify dates for a possible walkout, union leaders emphasised that critical issues remain unresolved despite repeated assurances and promises of dialogue from government representatives. Members of the medical corps are agitating for implementation of current agreements, improved working conditions, enhanced hazard and life-insurance coverage, and strategies to retain medical professionals within Nigeria’s public health system.
The threat of renewed strike action comes as Nigeria’s health-care system continues to confront resource constraints, infrastructure deficits and workforce shortages challenges that critics say have been exacerbated by repeated disruptions in service delivery due to labour unrest. Stakeholders warn that a prolonged strike by resident doctors, who form a backbone of teaching hospital services and specialist training programs, could further strain patient care and clinical operations across tertiary health institutions.
Civil society groups and patient advocates have urged the federal and state governments to expedite negotiations and honour collective bargaining agreements, noting that resolution of contentious welfare concerns is essential not only for medical professionals but for wider public health outcomes.
As discussions continue and the possibility of strike action looms, attention will focus on whether authorities respond swiftly to avert service disruptions and address what many health sector experts describe as systemic challenges that have long impeded the effectiveness of Nigeria’s public hospitals.