Nigeria Healthcare Crisis Looms as Resident Doctors Declare Indefinite Strike from April 7

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Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system is bracing for a major disruption as the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared a total and indefinite nationwide strike set to begin at midnight on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The decision, reached during an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held virtually on April 4, signals a fresh breakdown in negotiations between the doctors and the Federal Government led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The association accused the government of reneging on previous agreements, particularly concerning allowances and outstanding payments.

In an official statement, NARD Secretary-General Shuaibu Ibrahim described the situation as both “unfortunate” and avoidable, stressing that the latest development undermines commitments made after the association’s prolonged strike in 2025. According to him, the planned industrial action became necessary after what doctors see as a deliberate attempt to halt the implementation of the revised Professional Allowance Table (PAT), a key component of earlier agreements.

The revised PAT, which reportedly came into effect in February 2026, includes improved payments covering call duty, shift allowances, rural posting incentives, and compensation for non-clinical duties. However, the government’s alleged move to discontinue its implementation from April has triggered outrage among resident doctors, who insist that the agreement must be fully honoured.

Beyond the PAT dispute, the doctors are also demanding the immediate payment of promotion arrears, outstanding salaries across federal teaching hospitals and medical centres, and the settlement of up to 19 months of unpaid allowance arrears. They are equally calling for the timely release of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, warning that continued delays threaten both training and service delivery in the sector.

With resident doctors forming the backbone of clinical services in Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions, the strike is expected to cripple operations across the country. Outpatient services, elective surgeries, emergency responses, and routine ward activities in teaching hospitals and federal medical centres are all likely to be severely affected if the industrial action proceeds as planned.

The looming shutdown comes barely months after previous strikes were suspended following partial agreements and high-level interventions. Despite those efforts, lingering disputes over welfare and implementation have once again escalated tensions, pushing the sector to the brink of another crisis.

As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Ministry of Health has not issued an official response to the strike notice. However, public concern is mounting, with many Nigerians expressing fears over access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable patients who depend heavily on government hospitals.

While NARD maintains that it remains open to dialogue, the association insists the strike will continue indefinitely until all demands are fully met. The development once again underscores the deep-rooted challenges in Nigeria’s health sector, including funding gaps, workforce shortages, and recurring industrial disputes that continue to disrupt medical services nationwide.