petralonStrike: FG owes health workers N38bn in allowances, says Resident Doctors
…insists on total strike Nov. 1
…seek Tinubu’s intervention
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Monday disclosed that the federal government owes doctors and other health workers across the country an estimated N38 billion in accumulated allowances.
Muhammad Suleiman, President of the Association, disclosed during a briefing in Abuja while presenting the resolutions of an Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
The meeting followed the expiration of NARD’s 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government. He warned that resident doctors have already begun ward rounds and patient handovers in preparation for a planned nationwide, total, and indefinite strike beginning on Saturday, 1 November 2025.
Suleiman explained that the outstanding payments are not limited to resident doctors but affect all cadres of health professionals, including administrative staff. Allowances are outstanding for over two years, including 18 months, seven months, four months, and eight months. There is an allowance error dating back more than ten years. Additionally, the basic salary of doctors in this country has not been reviewed for 16 years,” he said.
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“For instance, in the pending 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review, the accoutrement allowance for all doctors in the health sector remains unpaid. For all health care workers, the total outstanding sum is about N35–38 billion. For resident doctors alone, it may be around N400 million, but for all doctors in Nigeria, it could amount to N600–800 million”, he added.
Beyond unpaid benefits, Suleiman noted that doctors have endured stagnant salaries for 16 years despite increasing workloads and worsening staff shortages in the health sector. He stated that the Association has presented 19 demands to the government, which it considers the minimum requirements necessary to prevent the total and indefinite strike by its members.
Following the suspension of a five-day warning strike on 14 September 2025, the last NARD Annual General Meeting, held in Katsina State, extended the two-week ultimatum issued to the Federal Government by an additional 30 days to address the 19-point demands outlined in the AGM communiqué.
The grace period has since elapsed, yet the Federal government did not address the concerns of the resident doctors. On Saturday, 25 October 2025, NARD convened an Extraordinary NEC meeting via Zoom to review the report of the National Officers’ Committee on the status of implementation of its demands by the Federal and affected State Governments.
The NEC observed that the Federal Government has failed to settle multiple outstanding arrears from the CONMESS review and accoutrement allowance despite repeated assurances.
Following extensive deliberations, the NEC resolved that there must be immediate payment of the outstanding 25–35 per cent CONMESS arrears and other pending financial entitlements, including the 2024 accoutrement allowance due to doctors.
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The Council also demanded the unconditional reinstatement of five resident doctors unjustly terminated from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, with full payment of all salaries and allowances for the period of their unlawful disengagement.
Furthermore, the NEC called for the immediate constitution of a Task Force by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop and implement a clear and humane working-hours policy for doctors in line with international best practice, to safeguard both physician wellbeing and patient safety.
The Council also urged the granting of more efficient means for hospital Chief Executives to employ doctors and the immediate implementation of a one-for-one replacement policy to reduce excessive workload and burnout.
In addition, the NEC stressed the urgent need for upgrading and maintaining infrastructure and medical equipment in all healthcare facilities nationwide, the immediate commencement of specialist allowance payments for all doctors, and the cessation of re-categorisation of membership certificates by examination and regulatory bodies, with all certificates restored to their proper status.
The Council also demanded the inclusion of medical and dental house officers in the civil service scheme with full entitlements and prompt salary payment, the correction of entry-level placements, decentralisation of promotion processes, and payment of arrears resulting from these corrections.
It called for the expedited review of CONMESS and other professional allowances, with immediate implementation of corrected professional allowance tables and enforcement of relativity between CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures. The NEC further insisted on urgent payment of accrued promotion arrears owed to medical officers, the reversal of the practice of creating consultant cadres for non-medical personnel, and the abolition of casualisation of doctors to ensure all locum staff are fully employed according to public service rules.
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Suleiman highlighted that the uniform implementation of all CONMESS circulars across federal, state, and private health institutions is critical, alongside the immediate implementation of special pension benefits previously agreed between the federal government and the Nigerian Medical Association.
“The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) hereby declares a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike commencing at 12:00 AM on Saturday, 1 November 2025. All resident doctors in federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide are directed to withdraw their services completely until the Federal and affected State Governments demonstrate genuine commitment to addressing our demands,” he declared.
Suleiman appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, demonstrate goodwill, and resolve the ongoing issues affecting doctors and the health sector. “Mr President, they continue to pay themselves their salaries and allowances. It is us on the frontlines who are not being paid. I hope you will listen to this appeal and use your influence to resolve these issues,” he urged.
