KEY POINTS

• Resident doctors suspended their nationwide strike and will resume work at 8 a.m. Wednesday after government assurances.
• The dispute centred on the planned halt of the Professional Allowance Table, which improves doctors’ remuneration.
• NARD gave the Federal Government until April 21 to pay arrears and release training funds or face fresh strike action.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has suspended its indefinite nationwide strike, with members directed to resume work on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m.

The decision followed assurances from the Federal Government that it would reverse its earlier move to halt the implementation of the Professional Allowance Table (PAT) beginning in April 2026.

NARD said the suspension of the strike was reached after deliberations on the government’s commitment to continue implementing the revised PAT. The association had embarked on the industrial action in protest against the planned discontinuation of the allowance structure.

The PAT was introduced following a prolonged strike in 2025 and provides improved remuneration for resident doctors.

Allowance Structure at the Centre of Dispute

Under the revised arrangement, resident doctors are entitled to enhanced payments, including call duty allowances, shift duty allowances, rural posting incentives, and payments for non-clinical duties.

NARD had insisted that discontinuing the allowance table would reverse gains achieved after the previous negotiations with the government.

Despite suspending the strike, the association issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the settlement of outstanding issues before April 21.

The demands include payment of promotion arrears, settlement of salary arrears, and release of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund.

NARD warned that failure to meet these demands within the stipulated deadline could trigger another round of nationwide strike action.