NARD to resume total strike as government fails to implement MOU
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced plans to resume its Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike (TICS 2.0) from January 12, 2026, warning of a renewed nationwide disruption of medical services if the Federal Government fails to meet its outstanding commitments.
The decision was reached during an Emergency National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on Friday and was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by NARD President, Dr Mohammad Suleiman. The association said the renewed industrial action is aimed at compelling the government to fully implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) previously signed with resident doctors.
NARD had last week cautioned that a fresh shutdown of public health services was imminent, citing what it described as the government’s continued failure to honour agreed timelines in the MoU. According to the association, the strike, tagged “No Implementation, No Going Back,” will commence at 12:00 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026, unless its demands are fully met.
The doctors said the planned action is the outcome of repeated disregard by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government for multiple deadlines set for the implementation of the agreement. As part of preparations, the NEC directed presidents of all 91 NARD centres nationwide to convene congress meetings and subsequently brief the media.
NARD also announced a series of coordinated protests to highlight unresolved welfare issues affecting doctors. Centre-based demonstrations are scheduled to hold across hospitals nationwide from January 12 to January 16, 2026, followed by regional protests at the level of caucus leaders and a national protest organised by the association’s National Officers’ Committee.
The association said it plans to hold 91 press conferences across the country within seven days to draw public attention to the challenges facing resident doctors. It stressed that the suspension of TICS 2.0 would only be reconsidered after the full implementation of its minimum demands.
NARD had suspended its previous indefinite strike on November 29 after 29 days of industrial action, following the signing of the MoU with the government. The agreement committed the government to addressing the association’s demands within four weeks.
The demands include the reinstatement of five resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; payment of promotion and salary arrears; and the full implementation of the professional allowance table, with arrears captured in the 2026 budget. Other issues raised include clarification on skipping and entry-level placement, the reintroduction and implementation of specialist allowances, resolution of house officers’ salary delays, issuance of a pay advisory, and reforms related to postgraduate training and working hours.
NARD explained that the one-week notice before the strike is intended to allow time for congress meetings, media engagement, and statutory notifications to security agencies and hospital managements nationwide.