Doctors halt services across Nigeria after the government fails to meet demands on welfare, working conditions, and healthcare funding despite earlier agreements.
Hospitals across Nigeria were plunged into crisis on Saturday November 1, 2025, as resident doctors launched an indefinite nationwide strike, halting services and deepening concerns about the state of healthcare in Africa’s most populous nation.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced the action after a 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government expired without resolution. NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, confirmed the walkout in a statement made public on the association’s official platform.
“The strike has become inevitable,” Suleiman declared, accusing the government of repeatedly failing to honor previous agreements despite extensive dialogue, appeals, and ultimatums. He emphasized that the decision was not made lightly but became necessary to safeguard the welfare of the Nigerian health system and its citizens.
“Our demands are not selfish, neither are they politically motivated,” he said. “They are centered on the survival of the Nigerian health system and the well-being of every citizen who depends on it.”
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The doctors’ demands include improved working conditions, proper remuneration, and the implementation of previously signed agreements on funding, staffing, and medical infrastructure. Residual grievances also stem from unpaid allowances and the lack of a conducive work environment in public hospitals.
“We fight not for personal gain, but for a system that allows doctors to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care,” Suleiman stated. “A resident doctor who is overworked, underpaid, and mentally exhausted cannot offer optimal care to the patient who needs them most.”
With resident doctors forming the backbone of the country’s public health workforce, the strike is expected to severely disrupt medical services nationwide. Emergency, surgical, and outpatient services in government hospitals are already being affected, and the timing has sparked renewed concerns over Nigeria’s ongoing brain drain in the health sector.
Dr. Suleiman urged Nigerians to support the doctors’ cause, describing it as a broader fight for a functional healthcare system. “If the doctors are broken, under-motivated, or forced to seek survival abroad, the patients suffer most,” he warned.
Resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory have also confirmed their participation, further amplifying the pressure on authorities. The strike, which began on November 1, 2025, is open-ended, with NARD maintaining that only full compliance with their demands will bring doctors back to work.
The Federal Government has yet to issue an official response.
Africa Daily News, New York
