Resident doctors set to resume nationwide strike January 12

Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) across Nigeria will resume a nationwide strike on the 12th of January, 2026.

In a communique, following an  Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on January 2, 2026, it described the industrial action as TICS 2.0, implying total and indefinite strike, from 12:00 am of the above stated date.

The statement signed by Mohammad  Suleiman, president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), reiterated that most of the demands of the association have not been fully met by the federal government and this has necessitated its decision to embark on the strike.

“NEC resolved to resume TICS 2.0 tagged ‘No Implementation, No Going Back’ with effect from 12th January 2026 by 12:00 am,”the communique read. “Suspension will only be considered after full implementation of the agreed minimum demands,” the association stated.

Suleiman (earlier quoted) said that  resident doctors had exhausted engagement channels after the government failed to meet commitments made when the association suspended a previous 29-day strike on November 29, 2025.

Under that agreement, the government pledged to address key demands within four weeks, a deadline NARD said elapsed without “visible progress.”

Read also: Resident doctors threaten indefinite strike over unfulfilled agreement with FG

Some of the 9 points demand include,re-instatement of the FTH Lokoja five, payment of promotion and salary arrears, full implementation of professional allowance table with arrears captured in the 2026 budget and official clarification on skipping and entry-level issues by the Federal Ministry of Health to chief executives among others.

Beyond withdrawing services, the association is also planning an aggressive public engagement campaign. NARD through its communique has directed its 91 centre presidents nationwide to convene congress meetings and brief the media within the next seven days.

“We want 91 press conferences to saturate the spaces over the next seven days,” the associated stated, underscoring the group’s resolve to keep public attention on the dispute.

The strike will be accompanied by centre-based protests from January 12 to 16, followed by regional demonstrations and a national protest to be coordinated by the National Officers Committee.

According to the communique, the one-week notice is intended to allow for internal mobilisation, media engagement, and statutory notifications to security agencies and hospital managements.

At the heart of the dispute are long-standing issues affecting doctors’ pay, career progression, and working conditions.

“This struggle is about dignity and fairness at work,” Suleiman said, noting that resident doctors are often the backbone of public hospitals. As of press time, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had not issued an official response to the latest strike notice.

Dr. Faith Donatus is a climate change expert, a seasoned researcher with over 15 years of experience and a two-time award winner for contributing to research by the International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation.

With a PhD in Environmental Pollution and Control, Faith is passionate about transforming Nigeria's food and public health systems through deep research, data-driven analysis, deducing solution-based insights to challenges impacting Nigeria's food and health systems.

At Businessday, she is a real sector correspondent, covering health and agricultural beats.

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