By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced an indefinite, nationwide strike from 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, accusing the Federal Government of reneging on a core agreement from their 2025 industrial action.
The decision, which paralyzes the backbone of clinical services in public tertiary hospitals, was reached during an extraordinary virtual National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Saturday.
NARD President, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, described the government’s move to halt the revised Professional Allowance Table (PAT) as “unfortunate,” placing the blame squarely on Abuja for forcing doctors back to the picket lines.
“The National Executive Council was informed about the Federal Government’s decision to remove the Professional Allowance Table, a development deemed unfortunate,” Dr. Ibrahim stated. “Following extensive deliberations, the NEC resolved to embark on a total industrial and comprehensive strike beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.”
A Broken Promise
The dispute centres on the revised PAT, a package of enhanced remuneration—including call duty, shift, rural posting, and non-clinical allowances—negotiated after the prolonged 5 strike. While implementation was initially slated for January 2026 and later pushed to February, NARD alleges the government now plans to scrap the entire table by April, a move the union calls a fundamental breach of trust.
This latest impasse underscores a chronic pattern in Nigeria’s health sector, where repeated welfare disputes have led to crippling strikes, overwhelming private facilities and leaving millions of public health users vulnerable.
Union’s Demands
Dr. Ibrahim outlined a three-pronged demand to avert the shutdown:
– Immediate reversal of the decision to cease PAT implementation from April 2026.
– Payment of all promotion and salary arrears in affected centres, plus prompt disbursement of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund.
– Immediate processing and payment of outstanding 19 months of Professional Allowance arrears.
“The NARD leadership calls on its members to unite in the fight against this injustice and to pursue it to a logical conclusion,” he added.
Health analysts warn the strike could collapse an already fragile system. Resident doctors handle the majority of patient care in teaching hospitals. With Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio already a dire one per 5,000—far below the WHO recommendation of one per 600—an indefinite shutdown risks shutting outpatient departments, stalling surgeries, and worsening the ongoing brain drain of doctors seeking better conditions abroad.
As the Tuesday deadline looms, all eyes are on the Federal Government to resume negotiations. Without urgent intervention, millions of Nigerians face yet another agonising disruption in access to life-saving care.
