The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government, threatening a total shutdown of services nationwide if their demands are not met. The immediate reinstatement of doctors sacked from the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) in Lokoja, Kogi State, and the payment of outstanding allowances are at the heart of the dispute.
Unjust Sackings and Broken Promises
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, the leader of the North-Central caucus of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr. Fanen Dogoh, condemned the dismissal of their colleagues in Lokoja. He described the action, based on allegations of unauthorised protest and union activities, as unjust. Dogoh revealed that despite several review committees recommending reinstatement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government, the affected doctors remain dismissed.
"The government must look into these issues and resolve them. These are some of the fundamental reasons why we are planning a strike," Dogoh stated emphatically. He warned that the association would commence an indefinite strike on Monday, January 12, 2026, if the government continues to ignore the signed agreement.
Mounting Debts and Budgetary Neglect
The crisis extends far beyond Kogi State. The doctors' body highlighted a severe and widespread problem of unpaid entitlements. Resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, Benue State, are reportedly owed 18 months of arrears and other allowances. Similar issues plague their counterparts in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Dr. Dogoh expressed deep concern that some of these outstanding allowances were not captured in the 2026 national budget, calling it a clear sign of neglect. He also stressed the urgent need for the government to respect the stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and address the critical issue of payment at the entry point for new doctors.
"Continued inaction could result in the country losing a significant number of its medical workforce," Dogoh cautioned, painting a grim picture of the potential brain drain.
Government Inaction Risks Health System Collapse
Echoing these dire warnings, Dr. Kwarshak Kelvin, the Vice President II of NARD, called for immediate government intervention to avert a total collapse of the health system. He questioned whether accurate information about the doctors' plight was reaching President Bola Tinubu and appealed for his prompt intervention.
Kelvin pinpointed a major bureaucratic failure, noting that the Minister of Health and Social Welfare had yet to transmit promotion arrears for doctors in federal hospitals to the Budget Office and the Ministry of Finance for payment. This delay has stalled the entire process.
He also raised alarm over a professional allowance table released in November 2025, which was supposed to be backdated to June 2024 and implemented in January 2026. "The government has not written to the Budget Office for this to be captured in the 2026 budget, nor has implementation commenced. This effectively means the process has been halted," Kelvin explained. This inaction alone could lead to 18 months of arrears for the medical professionals.
The clock is now ticking for the Federal Government. With the January 12 strike deadline looming, urgent and concrete steps are required to address the legitimate grievances of Nigeria's resident doctors and prevent a nationwide healthcare crisis.
