Nigerian doctors on duty

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has accused the federal government of owing doctors and other healthcare workers across the country an estimated ₦38 billion in accumulated allowances.

NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing in Abuja while presenting the resolutions of the association’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting.

The association announced plans to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike effective Saturday, November 1, following the expiration of its 30-day ultimatum issued to the federal government.

“There are allowances of over two years, there’s 18 months, there’s seven months, there’s four months, there’s eight months,” Dr. Suleiman said. “There’s an allowance error that is over 10 years old. There’s a failure to review even the basic salary of doctors in this country for 16 years.”

He explained that while resident doctors alone are owed about ₦400 million, the total arrears for all health workers, including doctors, nurses, and administrative staff, range between ₦35 billion and ₦38 billion.

Years of Broken Promises

According to Dr. Suleiman, NARD had repeatedly engaged the federal government since suspending its five-day warning strike on 14 September 2025, after assurances of prompt action.

During its Annual General Meeting in Katsina, the association extended its initial two-week ultimatum by another 30 days to allow for progress on its 19-point demand, but he said no meaningful action had been taken.

“This grace period has since elapsed, yet the federal government has failed to demonstrate the political will necessary to address the legitimate concerns of Nigerian resident doctors,” he lamented.

He added that the association’s E-NEC meeting, held virtually on 25 October 2025, revealed no tangible improvement in implementing the agreed-upon resolutions.

Outstanding Arrears and Poor Working Conditions

The NEC observed that the government had yet to settle five months of arrears arising from the 25% and 35% CONMESS salary reviews, as well as the 2024 accoutrement allowance.

It also cited the non-payment of promotion arrears since 2021, continued exclusion of house officers from the civil service scheme, and poor working conditions in most hospitals.

NARD further decried the government’s failure to implement the one-for-one replacement policy, worsening manpower shortages in public hospitals.

“Doctors continue to work excessive hours far beyond international standards without adequate rest, in clear contravention of established guidelines and best practices,” the communiqué stated.

Unpaid Salaries in Teaching Hospitals

The association listed several hospitals where members are still owed salaries and allowances:

• Benue State University Teaching Hospital — 18 months’ arrears.
• Federal Medical Centre, Owo — four to eight months of unpaid salaries and allowances.
• Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife — unpaid salaries for 83 doctors employed under the 2022 waiver, the March 2024 salary of 40 doctors, and arrears ranging from seven to 14 months.
• Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and University of Uyo Teaching Hospital — some doctors yet to be captured on the payroll.

Appeal to President Tinubu

Dr. Suleiman appealed to President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene and end the prolonged wage crisis affecting health workers nationwide.

“Mr President, they have been paying themselves their salaries and allowances. It is we who are in the field working that they are not paying,” he said. “You are the father of the nation. Please weigh in on this matter and solve it for us.”