Resident doctors across Nigeria have handed the Federal Government a four-week deadline to address lingering salary and welfare issues or face industrial action.
The warning came at the close of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) May Ordinary General Meeting and scientific conference, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from May 26 to 31. The event, themed The Medical Profession: Policies, Politics, and Future Prospects, drew health professionals, policymakers, and government representatives who deliberated on the challenges confronting medical practice in the country.
In a communique issued after the conference, NARD acknowledged some recent steps by the Federal Government, including the 2025 disbursement of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and the clearance of MRTF arrears from 2022 to 2024. However, it warned that progress had stalled on more fundamental concerns.
“Despite the MRTF payments, our members continue to face unresolved injustices,” NARD stated. “The failure to pay the salary arrears from the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the continued denial of consequential adjustments promised since 2009 are unacceptable.”
The association criticised what it described as the casualisation of doctors by heads of federal tertiary hospitals, noting that it contributes to widespread poor remuneration, insecurity, and attrition in the sector. It lamented that resident doctors—who form the backbone of tertiary medical care—remain excluded from specialist allowances and other key incentives.
“For over 16 years, our members have endured stagnant earnings without any consideration for inflation or evolving health policies,” the statement read. “This not only breaches the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement but also contradicts the government’s own National Policy on Health Workforce.”
NARD also spotlighted the situation at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), where it claimed some doctors are owed between seven and 14 months in salary arrears. The association described the non-payment of the 2024 accouterment allowance and the refusal of some Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) to comply with approved payments as “deliberate acts of sabotage.”
While slamming the federal government’s handling of these matters, the doctors’ body praised state governments that have shown leadership in healthcare administration. States commended for prompt payment of allowances and sector reform include Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Abia, Benue, Kwara, Enugu, and Delta.
Among the key demands outlined in the communique are:
- Immediate payment of the 25/35 per cent CONMESS salary arrears
- Full implementation of salary adjustments tied to the 2019 and 2024 minimum wage increases
- Timely disbursement of the 2025 MRTF to all eligible resident doctors
- Full payment of the 2023/2024 accouterment allowance arrears
- Cessation of casualisation and fair employment terms for all medical professionals
The association said it has mandated its National Officers’ Committee to continue engaging with the relevant authorities throughout the four-week window.
“Failure to achieve satisfactory progress will prompt the National Executive Council (NEC) to reassess the situation and determine the next course of action,” NARD warned.
Nigeria’s public health system has faced years of underfunding, mass emigration of professionals, and repeated industrial actions, all of which continue to strain service delivery in hospitals.
