NARD Declares Indefinite Strike Starting April 7, 2026

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced an indefinite nationwide strike set to commence at 12:00 AM on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. This decision follows the federal government's failure to implement a revised agreement reached in 2025, which included improvements in remuneration packages for resident doctors, such as duty allowances, shift allowances, and incentives for rural postings.

Although the implementation was initially scheduled for January 2026, delays pushed the rollout to February, and the government’s recent decision to discontinue the process in April was deemed unfortunate by NARD. Dr.

Shuaibu Ibrahim, NARD's national president, emphasized the need for immediate reversal of the government's decision and settlement of outstanding entitlement demands, including 19 months of salary arrears. The strike is expected to disrupt healthcare services across public hospitals in Nigeria, exacerbating the existing doctor-patient ratio crisis, which is significantly below the World Health Organization's recommended standard.