Resident doctors give FG 14-day ultimatum to meet demands or face industrial action

Resident doctors have given the federal government a 14-day ultimatum to begin implementing outstanding agreements on their welfare and working conditions or face “further industrial action.”

The ultimatum takes effect from 1 October 2026, according to a communique issued at the end of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Calabar, Cross River State.

According to the document signed by the association’s new President, Ogar Idoko, Secretary-General, Besongngem Akotanchi, and Publicity and Social Secretary, Ashimom Msughter, the meeting was held from 21 to 26 September.

The doctors said the ultimatum became necessary due to ongoing delays in resolving several welfare and professional issues, despite the government’s previous engagements and commitments.

Outstanding allowances, salaries

The resident doctors demanded the immediate payment of 19 months of outstanding Professional Allowance Table (PAT) arrears.

They also demanded payment of outstanding arrears arising from the 25/35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors and other affected health workers.

The association said several medical doctors were still owed salary and promotion arrears in various federal health institutions.

It also demanded the immediate correction of omissions and errors in the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). It called for an upward review of the fund to reflect the current cost of residency training.

The doctors said the reviewed MRTF should also be captured in the 2027 Appropriation Act.

Other demands

The resident doctors called for the accelerated conclusion of the long-running Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Nigerian Medical Association and the federal government.

They said the unresolved review of the CONMESS salary structure had remained outstanding for about 17 years and was contributing to the brain drain affecting the health sector.

The association also called for a sustainable recruitment system to address “the critical manpower shortages occasioned by brain drain and guarantee safe and effective healthcare delivery.”

It demanded the implementation of the approved work-hour regulation policy, including functional biometric systems to document working hours and a standardised system for compensating doctors for excess workload.

The doctors also called for the implementation of “the Assault on Health Workers Prevention Policy across all health institutions with clear accountability mechanisms” and the payment of outstanding pension contributions.

The association further demanded urgent improvements in healthcare infrastructure, equipment and essential medical facilities across the country.

It said poor infrastructure and inadequate equipment were affecting patient safety, healthcare delivery and the training of resident doctors.

Threat of industrial action

Under the resolution, the AGM mandates that the NARD National Executive Council (NEC) “closely monitor” the government’s response over the next two weeks.

The association said it would take “all necessary lawful and constitutionally sanctioned actions”, including further industrial action, if the authorities failed to demonstrate meaningful compliance within the stipulated period.

The latest ultimatum follows several rounds of disputes between resident doctors and the federal government this year.

In January, the doctors suspended a planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin on 12 January after the National Industrial Court restrained the association from embarking on the action, and the government made fresh commitments.

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In April, resident doctors commenced a nationwide strike over the reversal of the Professional Allowance Table and other outstanding financial obligations. The action was suspended less than 24 hours later following government interventions.

In June, the association issued another 21-day ultimatum over unpaid allowances, salary arrears and delays in the residency training fund.

The resident doctors’ latest ultimatum, therefore, gives the federal government until 1 October to “commence demonstrable implementation of the resolutions contained in this communique.”