Nigerian Resident Doctors Declare Five-Day Nationwide Warning Strike To Protest Poor Conditions And Government Negligence

 

The nation’s health sector has been thrown into fresh uncertainty as resident doctors under the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) confirmed the commencement of a five-day nationwide warning strike. The action, which begins Friday, September 12, 2025, will shut down medical services in public hospitals across Nigeria and is expected to further compound the difficulties already confronting patients.

The doctors reached the decision at an online National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that lasted through Wednesday into the early hours of Thursday. According to the association, the unanimous vote to suspend work followed several months of unmet demands and worsening conditions in government hospitals.

General Secretary of the FCT chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors, Agbor Affiong, released a statement on Thursday, making clear that the strike was no longer avoidable. He explained that after long hours of deliberations, members had no choice but to stage the protest to press home their demands.

The statement read, “Arising from the NARD E-NEC meeting held on Wednesday, 10th of September 2025, which extended into the early hours of Thursday, 11th September 2025, the NEC members unanimously resolved to embark on a five-day warning strike. The strike will commence at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, 12th September 2025, and will end on Tuesday, 16th September 2025. All centres are hereby directed to duly inform their hospital managements and continue to press home our collective demands.”

NARD’s leadership emphasized that the strike was not a decision they took lightly. According to them, government failure to address poor remuneration, shortages of medical equipment, irregular power supply, and the recent downgrading of medical certificates has left resident doctors demoralized and unable to work effectively.

NARD President, Dr. Osundara Zenith, had earlier warned on Tuesday in an interview with DAILY POST that the association was left with no alternative. He pointed out that the health sector was in free fall, and that the strike should serve as a wake-up call to the government. “We cannot continue to work under these unbearable conditions. Our members are overworked, underpaid, and yet blamed for failures beyond our control,” he said.

The association highlighted a series of demands that remain unresolved despite previous negotiations. Chief among them are the need for improved salary structures, payment of outstanding allowances, reversal of certificate downgrading, and investment in basic hospital infrastructure. Many resident doctors lamented that they are expected to perform life-saving work with inadequate tools, unpaid allowances, and in facilities that often lack steady electricity.

The decision to embark on the action comes against the backdrop of a separate seven-day strike already being carried out by the Federal Capital Territory Administration branch of resident doctors, which started earlier in the week. That strike had been intended as a localized protest, but the national body has now expanded the scope to a nationwide action.

Patients across the country are expected to feel the impact immediately. With public hospitals set to shut down most services, Nigerians who cannot afford private care may face serious health risks. Many stakeholders fear that emergencies such as childbirth, accidents, and chronic illnesses will bear the brunt of the disruption.

Health experts warn that the strike, even though temporary, could worsen the country’s already fragile healthcare system. Nigeria continues to struggle with inadequate doctor-to-patient ratios, brain drain of medical personnel seeking better opportunities abroad, and persistent shortages of essential drugs and facilities.

Some critics have called on the federal government to act swiftly to avert a prolonged crisis. Public commentators note that every strike by resident doctors only deepens the suffering of ordinary Nigerians, and that solutions should not be delayed until lives are lost. Civil society groups have also urged both the government and the doctors to return to the negotiation table in good faith.

Government officials have yet to release a full response to the latest strike declaration, although previous engagements suggest that authorities are aware of the demands. The Ministry of Health is expected to issue a statement before the strike formally begins, but there are fears that talks may not yield quick results.

The doctors’ grievances extend beyond wages. Many young doctors who undergo years of rigorous training say they are frustrated by policies that appear to downgrade their certificates and qualifications. Others decry the lack of power supply in hospitals, a problem that often interrupts surgeries and life-support systems. For many of them, the strike represents both a cry for reform and a plea for dignity in their profession.

Observers have pointed out that strikes by medical professionals are not new in Nigeria. In the past decade, resident doctors have repeatedly embarked on industrial actions lasting weeks or months, demanding the same issues that remain unresolved today. The recurring pattern, they argue, reflects a deep-seated failure of governance and a lack of prioritization of healthcare.

Families of patients in major hospitals such as Lagos University Teaching Hospital, University College Hospital Ibadan, and the National Hospital Abuja are already bracing for service disruptions. Reports suggest that hospital wards may be left with skeletal staff, as consultants and nurses may not be able to fully cover for the absence of resident doctors who form the bulk of the workforce.

Public reactions are divided. While some Nigerians sympathize with the doctors’ plight, others insist that strikes in the health sector endanger innocent lives. A Lagos-based civil servant lamented, “My mother is due for surgery next week, but now everything is uncertain. I understand the doctors, but patients are the ones paying the price.”

Analysts warn that the five-day warning strike could escalate if no agreement is reached. NARD has a history of extending warning strikes into indefinite actions when demands remain unmet. For now, the association insists that the ball is in the government’s court to act decisively.

As the countdown to Friday morning continues, Nigerians are left watching closely to see whether authorities will respond with concrete measures or whether the health sector will again descend into paralysis.

The next five days promise to test not only the resilience of Nigeria’s healthcare system but also the willingness of government officials to engage with medical professionals whose services remain indispensable to the nation.