The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has suspended its planned nationwide strike following the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who requested additional time to address longstanding grievances raised by the medical practitioners.
Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, President of NARD, disclosed the decision in an interview with Journalist on Sunday, stating that the association’s National Executive Council reached the resolution after deliberations on the matter.
“The NEC has met and we have decided to give the Federal Government more time. The Vice President of the country has intervened and asked for more time and the NEC has graciously given him more time. In essence, the strike is not starting tomorrow,” Suleiman said.
The suspension marks a temporary reprieve in what has been a recurring cycle of industrial action within Nigeria’s healthcare sector, where resident doctors have repeatedly downed tools over unmet demands and unimplemented agreements with government authorities.
NARD had on January 3 announced plans to commence “a total, indefinite and complete strike, known as TICS 2.0”, effective from January 12. The association cited the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements reached with resident doctors, including provisions contained in a Memorandum of Understanding previously signed between both parties.
The decision to embark on the industrial action was taken during an Emergency National Executive Council meeting held on January 2, where members reviewed the state of implementation of past agreements and concluded that sufficient grounds existed to withdraw services.
The issues at the heart of the dispute have been recurring themes in Nigeria’s healthcare labour relations. Resident doctors, who form the backbone of clinical services in public hospitals across the country, have over the years complained of poor remuneration, hazardous working conditions, irregular payment of salaries and allowances, inadequate equipment, and the non-implementation of agreements signed with government.
The planned strike threatened to cripple healthcare delivery in public hospitals nationwide, particularly tertiary health institutions where resident doctors provide critical services. Previous strikes by the association have left patients stranded, led to the postponement of surgeries, and resulted in avoidable deaths due to the unavailability of medical personnel.
However, the Federal Government moved swiftly to forestall the industrial action. On Friday, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja issued an order restraining NARD and its members from proceeding with the planned strike.
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Justice Emmanuel Subilim granted the restraining order following a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. The motion was argued before the court by Maimuna Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, who led a team of government lawyers in presenting the application.
The court order represented the latest in a series of legal interventions by government to prevent strikes in critical sectors, a strategy that has drawn criticism from labour unions who argue that such measures undermine the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and collective bargaining.
Despite the court order, it was the Vice President’s direct engagement with NARD leadership that ultimately persuaded the association to suspend its planned action. Shettima’s intervention signals the administration’s recognition of the seriousness of the doctors’ concerns and the potential consequences of a nationwide healthcare shutdown.
The suspension, however, does not resolve the underlying issues. It merely provides a window for negotiations and demonstrates the doctors’ willingness to give the government another opportunity to meet its obligations. The NEC’s decision to grant more time suggests a cautious optimism that the Vice President’s involvement might yield concrete results where previous engagements have failed.
Nigeria’s healthcare sector has suffered from decades of underinvestment, brain drain, and systemic inefficiencies. Resident doctors, who typically work long hours under difficult conditions, have become increasingly vocal about their welfare and the state of the health system. Many have left the country in search of better opportunities abroad, contributing to a severe shortage of medical personnel in public hospitals.
The frequency of strikes by health workers, including doctors, nurses, and other allied professionals, has highlighted the persistent crisis in the sector and the government’s struggle to adequately fund and manage healthcare delivery.
