The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned nationwide strike following what it described as significant progress recorded on its demands through sustained engagements with the Federal Government and other critical stakeholders.
The decision was reached during a virtual Emergency National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on January 11, 2026, where the association reviewed recent developments and assessed the status of its longstanding demands.
According to NARD, the suspension followed direct presidential intervention led by Vice President Kashim Shettima on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, which helped accelerate negotiations and commitments at the highest levels of government.
The Secretary-General of NARD, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, said the suspension is strategic and conditional, allowing the NEC to reassess tangible progress at its next statutory meeting scheduled to commence on January 25, 2026.
A source familiar with the negotiations disclosed that notable progress was made behind the scenes in the past week, significantly influencing the association’s decision to step back from industrial action.
“In the last one week, there has been a lot of progress that has been made. Most of these developments are happening at a very high level, particularly at the level of the presidency,” the source said.
The source noted that tensions had earlier escalated over the handling of the issues by the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, prompting political intervention.
“To emphasise the seriousness of the issue, I learnt that Minister Ali Pate was called to order and also appealed to, in a bid to balance the situation,” the source said.
According to the insider, several stakeholders were drawn into the negotiations, including hospital chief executives, top political actors, and leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following concerns about possible political undertones surrounding the agitation.
“These engagements helped decision-makers to get first-hand information from those at the receiving end of the agitation — the resident doctors,” the source added.
The interventions, the source said, have begun translating into concrete actions, including directives on outstanding payments and welfare issues. He stressed that strike action was never an end in itself but a means to achieve results.
Despite the progress, the NARD leadership is reportedly facing pressure from members who are yet to be fully briefed on the ongoing negotiations. However, the source expressed confidence that members’ concerns would ease once tangible outcomes, such as payment of arrears, begin to materialise.
In a summary of resolutions from the NEC meeting, Dr. Ibrahim said the lingering crisis at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, had been resolved following the implementation of the report of an earlier committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. A new reconciliation committee comprising Chief Medical Directors, the ministry and NARD has also been constituted to ensure lasting peace at the facility.
On the outstanding 25 and 35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) arrears, NARD said verified lists had been forwarded to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), while the Ministry of Labour and Employment has written to the Ministry of Finance and IPPIS to facilitate payment. Similar progress was reported on the accoutrement allowance.
The association further disclosed that lists of promotion and salary arrears had been transmitted to the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office, with engagements ongoing to agree on a clear and expedited payment plan. Progress was also reported on entry-level placement, with assurances that CONMESS 3 would be reinforced as the entry point for doctors.
NARD said a multi-stakeholder committee involving the Health Ministry, Chief Medical Directors, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and NARD has been established to address locum practice, work-hour regulation, specialist allowances, and other welfare concerns. Interventions were also reported on house officers’ welfare, membership re-categorisation, and the harmonisation of salary and allowance gains across federal, state and private health institutions.
Based on what it described as firm commitments from critical stakeholders, including the Ministries of Health, Labour and Finance, the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, IPPIS, the Budget Office, the National Assembly, the Department of State Services and the Vice President, NARD said it unanimously resolved to suspend the resumption of its planned strike action, tagged TICS 2.0.
