The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to begin implementing outstanding agreements on doctors’ welfare and working conditions or face “further industrial action.” According to a report by The Nation, the ultimatum takes effect from October 1, 2026, following resolutions reached at……
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to begin implementing outstanding agreements on doctors’ welfare and working conditions or face “further industrial action.”
According to a report by The Nation, the ultimatum takes effect from October 1, 2026, following resolutions reached at NARD’s 46th Annual General Meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State, from September 21 to 26.
In a communique signed by the association’s newly elected President, Ogar Idoko; Secretary-General, Besongngem Akotanchi; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Ashimom Msughter, NARD said the ultimatum was issued after prolonged delays in addressing several welfare and professional concerns despite previous engagements and government commitments.
The doctors demanded the immediate payment of 19 months of outstanding Professional Allowance Table, PAT, arrears, alongside arrears resulting from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent upward reviews of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS.
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NARD also called for the payment of outstanding salary and promotion arrears owed to doctors across various federal health institutions.
The association demanded the immediate correction of omissions and errors in the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF, while seeking an upward review of the fund to reflect the current cost of residency training.
It further called for the reviewed MRTF to be included in the 2027 Appropriation Act.
The resident doctors also demanded the accelerated conclusion of the long-standing Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Nigerian Medical Association and the Federal Government.
According to the association, the unresolved review of the CONMESS salary structure, which it said had remained outstanding for about 17 years, was contributing to the continued brain drain in the health sector.
NARD also called for a sustainable recruitment system to tackle manpower shortages and strengthen the capacity of health institutions to provide safe and effective healthcare.
It demanded the implementation of the approved work-hour regulation policy, including functional biometric systems for monitoring working hours and a standardised mechanism for compensating doctors for excess workload.
The association further demanded the implementation of the Assault on Health Workers Prevention Policy across health institutions, with clear accountability mechanisms, as well as the payment of outstanding pension contributions.
NARD urged the Federal Government to urgently address deficiencies in healthcare infrastructure, equipment and essential medical facilities, warning that inadequate facilities were affecting patient safety, healthcare delivery and the training of resident doctors.
To monitor the government’s response, the association mandated its National Executive Council to closely assess developments throughout the 14-day period.
NARD said it would take “all necessary lawful and constitutionally sanctioned actions”, including further industrial action, if the government failed to demonstrate meaningful compliance with its demands within the stipulated period.
The latest ultimatum comes after a series of disputes between resident doctors and the Federal Government in 2026.
In January, NARD suspended a planned nationwide strike after the National Industrial Court restrained the association from proceeding and the government made fresh commitments.
Resident doctors embarked on another nationwide strike in April over the reversal of the Professional Allowance Table and other outstanding financial obligations but suspended the action less than 24 hours later following government intervention.
In June, the association issued a further 21-day ultimatum over unpaid allowances, salary arrears and delays in the residency training fund.
The latest ultimatum gives the Federal Government until October 1 to commence “demonstrable implementation” of the resolutions reached by the association.
