Resident doctors set to begin nationwide strike January 12

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced that it will resume an indefinite nationwide strike on January 12, 2026, citing the Federal Government’s failure to fulfill previously agreed welfare commitments.

The decision was reached during an Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on January 2 and was revealed in a statement signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammed Suleiman, and shared on X.

According to the statement, the strike — tagged TICS 2.0 — will begin at 12:00 a.m. on January 12 and will continue until all outstanding demands are fully addressed.

NEC also directed presidents of its 91 centres to convene congress meetings and brief the media within a week, with the aim of amplifying awareness nationwide.

In addition, centre-based protests will be staged from January 12 to 16, followed by regional and national demonstrations.

NARD said the strike would only be called off after key demands are met.

These include the reinstatement of the “FTH Lokoja Five,” settlement of promotion and salary arrears, implementation of professional and specialist allowances, clarification on entry-level matters, resolution of house officers’ delayed payments, and progress on the collective bargaining process.

Dr. Suleiman explained that the one-week notice period was designed to allow proper preparation, engagement with stakeholders, and formal notification to security agencies and hospital authorities.

NARD had earlier warned that the country risked another shutdown of medical services after the Federal Government failed to meet commitments reached following its suspended 29-day strike in November 2025.

As at the time of reporting, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had yet to react to the latest development.