Healthcare services across Nigeria are set to face disruption as resident doctors commence a nationwide strike today, April 7, 2026, following unresolved disputes with the Federal Government over unpaid allowances and policy reversals.
The industrial action, declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, adds to a growing pattern of labour unrest in the health sector, with doctors having spent a cumulative 51 days on strike since the administration of President Bola Tinubu began.
The latest strike is being triggered by the Federal Government’s reported decision to halt the implementation of the revised Professional Allowance Table, a key outcome of negotiations that ended the 2025 strike. The association described the move as unfortunate, accusing the government of reneging on agreed terms and forcing doctors into another avoidable shutdown.
In its statement, NARD said its National Executive Council resolved to embark on a total and comprehensive strike after reviewing the policy shift. The association is demanding an immediate reversal of the decision, payment of promotion and salary arrears, settlement of 19 months outstanding allowances, and the release of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund.
At the centre of the dispute is the Professional Allowance Table, which standardises payments such as call duty, shift allowances, and other work related incentives for doctors. Its suspension has reignited long standing grievances over welfare and working conditions in the sector.
An analysis of industrial actions by resident doctors since May 2023 reveals a recurring cycle of disputes. In July 2023, doctors embarked on a nationwide strike that lasted 17 days, driven largely by welfare concerns and the economic strain that followed the removal of fuel subsidy. Doctors at the time complained that their salaries were not adjusted to reflect the rising cost of living, making it increasingly difficult to meet basic needs.
The situation was compounded by poor welfare conditions, delayed allowances, and inadequate funding for training, all of which doctors said affected both their performance and career progression. The mass migration of Nigerian doctors abroad further worsened the crisis, increasing workload for those who remained and leading to stress, burnout, and declining morale.
Although the 2023 strike was eventually suspended after negotiations, tensions resurfaced in 2025 when doctors embarked on a five day warning strike in September, followed by a 29 day full strike in November.
The resolution of the 2025 dispute led to an agreement introducing a revised allowance structure aimed at improving welfare, including enhanced payments for call duty, shifts, and rural postings. However, implementation, initially scheduled for January 2026 and later shifted to February, has been inconsistent, with doctors alleging that the process has now been discontinued.
Speaking on the planned strike, NARD Secretary General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, said the association remains open to suspending the action if the government reverses its decision.
“When many people say we should start the strike immediately, we said no, this is a public holiday, let us give time for them to reverse the instruction, and once they give that reverse instruction, whether they communicate to us or they do not communicate to us, we will know,” he said.
He added that the issues extend beyond resident doctors, affecting other categories of healthcare workers within the system.
As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had not issued an official response to the planned strike, while efforts to reach the Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Health, Chinedu Moghalu, were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the Abia State chapter of the association has confirmed it will fully comply with the national directive. The state president, Dr Godwin Alaede, said after a congress in Umuahia that members are fully prepared to commence an indefinite strike.
“We are 100 per cent prepared to embark on the indefinite strike by midnight,” he said, while expressing regret over the impact the action may have on patients.
He, however, assured that consultants and nurses would attempt to fill the gap during the strike period, adding that the state chapter would review any developments following ongoing engagements between NARD and the Federal Government.
With negotiations yet to yield a breakthrough, the latest strike once again highlights the fragile relationship between the government and healthcare workers, raising concerns about the sustainability of agreements and the long term stability of Nigeria’s health sector.
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