The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its indefinite strike nearly one month after it began, directing all members to return to work immediately.
The industrial action, which started on November 1, 2025, was called off following deliberations at an Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday.
Speaking to DAILY GAZETTE, NARD President, Dr. Mohamed Suleiman, said the decision came after the association reached an agreement with the Federal Government on key demands, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
According to him, the NEC reviewed the MoU and deemed the agreed timelines acceptable, concluding that suspending the strike for at least four weeks would allow the government time to implement the commitments made.
“We reached an agreement and also signed an MoU. We agreed on some of the things. We wanted to have some time for them to be implemented.”
“The National Executive Council reviewed the MoU, looked at the timelines, felt it was acceptable, and then decided that the best course of action… is to suspend the strike and give at least four weeks to see that some of those things are implemented,” he said.
Dr. Suleiman added that the suspension takes immediate effect and all resident doctors are expected to resume duty without delay.
The strike, which lasted 29 days, was triggered by 19 unmet demands the association described as essential for sustaining the healthcare system and restoring dignity to medical practice in Nigeria.
Key grievances included: Non-payment of the outstanding 25%/35% CONMESS upward review arrears, expected to have been fully paid by August 2025
– Accumulated salary and promotion arrears owed to medical officers in federal tertiary institutions
– Failure to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance, despite repeated assurances from the Federal Ministry of Health
– The “unjust dismissal” of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja
– Worsening burnout and escalating brain drain (the “JAPA” syndrome)
NARD says it will monitor the government’s compliance with the MoU over the next four weeks before determining its next steps.
