After 29 days of nationwide industrial action, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its indefinite strike, directing members to resume duty immediately.
The announcement came on Saturday, November 29, 2025, following deliberations at an Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, confirmed that the decision followed an agreement with the federal government on some of the union’s demands, formalized through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
. “The NEC reviewed the MoU, considered the timelines, and agreed that the best course of action is to suspend the strike and allow at least four weeks for implementation of agreed items,” he said.
The strike, which began on November 1, 2025, was aimed at addressing long-standing grievances in Nigeria’s public health sector.
Resident doctors had tabled 19 demands, including the non-payment of outstanding arrears under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), delayed promotion payments, unsettled 2024 accoutrement allowances, and the unjust dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
The union described these as the minimum requirements for a sustainable healthcare system and the restoration of professional dignity.
The federal government’s response included partial disbursements to clear CONMESS arrears and earlier injections into the Medical Residency Training Fund.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, also highlighted steps to address manpower shortages, including the recruitment of over 20,000 health workers in 2024 and approval for 15,000 additional positions in 2025.
Dr. Suleiman emphasized that the suspension is a “strategic pause” rather than a surrender, warning that the strike would resume if the government fails to fully implement the agreement within the four-week period.
“Our demands are patriotic, centered on the survival of the Nigerian health system,” he said, urging members to remain vigilant.
With the resumption of duties, patients across federal hospitals can expect a return to normal services after nearly a month of disruption.
Health facilities, including the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, faced critical shortages during the strike, with non-specialist staff struggling to cope with increased workloads and emergency cases.
As resident doctors return to wards and operating theaters, both the union and the public will be closely monitoring the government’s follow-through on promises, signaling a cautious optimism for Nigeria’s healthcare system.
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