The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Thursday issued a fresh 24-hour ultimatum asking the federal government to meet the outstanding demands of its members.
It said more than 2,000 resident doctors across the country were still awaiting payment of the outstanding 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).
The development is a follow-up to the earlier 10-day deadline issued by the association, which expired September 10, 2025.
The decision to issue fresh ultimatum was reached Wednesday after a six-hour virtual meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC).
In an email sent to Blueprint by the association, its president, Dr. Tope Osundara, said while the association acknowledged the government’s promise to address their concerns, members insisted on immediate action.
This, according to our findings, is causing some moment of confusion and anxiety among Nigerians, who feared what the consequence would be on the inpatients and outpatients seeking medical attention.
…The previous ultimatum
NARD had, in a litany of demands contained in the communiqué issued September 1, 2025, asked for immediate payment of the outstanding 2025 MRTF, settlement of five- month arrears from the 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, as well as other long-standing salary backlogs.
Similarly, the doctors demanded the payment of the 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears, prompt disbursement of specialist allowances, and restoration of the recognition of the West African postgraduate membership certificates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
The communiqué further urged the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to issue membership certificates to all deserving candidates, implement the 2024 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, resolve outstanding welfare issues in Kaduna state, and address the plight of resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo state.
…The fresh ultimatum
Although the federal government promised to meet its demands, the association, through its resident, Dr. Osundara, however, insisted this must be done before Thursday deadline.
In the email, Osundara wrote: “The Federal Government called us yesterday (Wednesday) and promised to address our concerns.
“After a six-hour deliberation, we decided to give the government the next 24 hours to ensure the disbursement of the MRTF to the beneficiaries, for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to upgrade our membership certificates, and to attend to our other demands.
“If there is no payment by today (Thursday), then tomorrow (Friday), we will start the strike immediately.”
…Anambra doctors begin strike
In a related development, the Association Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Awka, Anambra state, commenced a seven-day warning strike to press home their demands for a better working condition.
ARD-COOUTH said this in a communiqué issued at the end of its emergency virtual meeting held on September 10, 2025 titled “Notification for Commencement of Industrial Action”.
The communiqué, issued and signed by Dr Joy Okwumuo and Dr Chukwubuike Ifekudu, President and Secretary of ARD COOUTH respectively, said the strike commenced effectively 12 noon Thursday.
The ARD COOUTH said the action followed several failed efforts to engage the Anambra state government to pay the hundred percent (100%) MRTF promised the association with effect from January 2025.
They also cited the non-payment of upward-revised CONMESS salary structure, accoutrement, rural posting, specialist and teaching allowances with the accumulated arrears as well as shortage of doctors leading to overworking of the available resident doctors.
They demanded payment of the MRTF to all resident doctors in COOUTH and domesticate the same to forestall the recurrent issues of non-payment, and address brain drain gap by employing more doctors to meet the recommended approved number by the medical colleges in each department.
“ARD COOUTH Executives have made several futile efforts to engage the government since this year to see to the realisation of the promises made to us that led to the suspension of the industrial action on October 4, 2024.
“The government failed to meet our demands within the 10 days ultimatum as issued by the National association of resident doctors (NARD) communiqué dated September 1 following their extra-ordinary national executive Council meeting.
“Having exhausted one year waiting without any positive response,ARD COOUTH regrettably resolved to commence industrial action
“COOUTH resident doctors resolved to embark on a 7 days warning strike beginning from 12 noon of September 11, 2025.
“We hope that all demands are met to prevent indefinite industrial action that might be a consequence,” they said.
The doctors called on the hospital management, other relevant bodies including the public to appeal to the government on the need to meet their demands as soon as possible for efficient and effective service delivery.
“ARD COOUTH wishes that these issues are resolved timely to further prevent regrettable disharmony this situation will cause in the state tertiary health facility.
“ARD-COOUTH appreciates all institutions and individuals who have consistently shown unwavering commitment to our welfare,” it said.
…Anxiety
A cross-section of Nigerians who spoke to Blueprint expressed worry to the governments at all levels, to dialogue with the doctors with a view to meeting their demands.
Ademola Saeed, a roadside vulcaniser in Abuja, said: “The government should come to terms with the doctors’ demands to save the people from imminent death. The doctors in Abuja began strike action September 8, and they sad this will last till September 15. This has caused a lot of damage in public hospitals. People are worried.”
Also, Kafaya Mohammed, a petrol attendant in Minna, Niger state, told this medium on the telephone: “This is one strike the government must do everything to avert in order to save the people. I have my mother in the hospital. What happens to her if this strike truly begins Friday? Isn’t that sentence to the patients?”