The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is set to suspend its planned nationwide strike after reaching agreements with the Federal Government during a high-level meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The three-hour meeting, held on Tuesday, brought together the Ministers of Labour, Health and Finance, alongside the Director-General of the Budget Office, the Accountant-General of the Federation and other key government officials responsible for payroll and cash management.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, NARD President, Dr Muhammad Suleiman, said the discussions resulted in concrete commitments and timelines for resolving the salary, promotion and welfare issues that had prompted the association to threaten industrial action.
“Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved,” Suleiman said, noting that agreements had been reached on nearly all outstanding demands.
He praised Gbajabiamila for his consistent intervention in disputes involving resident doctors, recalling that previous engagements under his leadership had also produced positive outcomes.
According to Suleiman, timelines have been agreed for the implementation of salary-related issues, promotions and welfare concerns, including the long-standing meal allowance dispute at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had also issued a standing directive to ensure house officers receive their salaries no later than the 10th of every month, ending the recurring delays that have affected newly employed doctors.
On the Collective Bargaining Agreement between NARD and the Federal Government, Suleiman said the Presidency directed the Ministries of Labour and Health to fast-track negotiations so that agreed provisions could be incorporated into the 2027 budget.
The association also raised concerns over the growing number of attacks on healthcare workers, revealing that 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers had been assaulted within the past 10 months.
Suleiman said the Ministry of Health had agreed to strengthen security in hospitals and launch public awareness campaigns to discourage violence against medical personnel.
He added that Gbajabiamila had pledged to sponsor legislation that would classify assaults on health workers as an aggravated offence.
The NARD president also said discussions covered outstanding hazard and specialist allowance arrears dating back several years.
According to him, the Federal Government corrected part of the payment shortfall in February 2026, but a 19-month backlog remains outstanding. He noted that the Budget Office would provide a timeline for settling the arrears.
Despite expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting, Suleiman said he could not unilaterally announce the suspension of the planned strike without consulting the association’s National Executive Council.
“I have to report back to the National Executive Council. We will review the outcome and take a decision,” he said.
However, a source familiar with the meeting disclosed that NARD leaders had privately assured the Presidency that the proposed strike would be called off.
According to the source, Gbajabiamila urged the doctors to resolve the matter immediately rather than defer the decision until after further consultations.
NARD had earlier threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from August 10 over unresolved salary arrears, welfare concerns and other longstanding issues affecting resident doctors across the country’s teaching and specialist hospitals.
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