JUST IN: FG Explains Standoff With Resident Doctors, Highlights N90bn Pay Increase

The Federal Government has explained the ongoing standoff with the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, saying it is driven by structural and policy constraints not neglect while stressing its commitment to industrial harmony in the health sector.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare places high priority on maintaining industrial peace and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery across the country.

He explained that while government recognises the need to improve health workers’ welfare, salary reviews must be balanced with competing national responsibilities, including education, security and infrastructure, within available revenue.

The Minister pointed to the Tinubu administration’s approval of an upward review of health workers’ professional allowances in November 2025, which he said added nearly ₦90 billion annually to government expenditure.
According to him, the increase covers call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances, and was reached through collective negotiations involving all health worker groups.
Dr. Salako said previous negotiations were often fragmented, with different professional groups engaging government separately leading to disputes over pay parity and repeated strikes.

To address this, he said the Ministry adopted a collective bargaining framework, bringing doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and other health professionals to the negotiating table together.

READ ALSO: Just In: NARD To Resume Nationwide Strike January 12

On NARD’s demands, the Minister said negotiations have progressed, with the association’s requests reducing from 19 to nine. However, he noted that some outstanding demands are limited by existing civil service rules and approved schemes of service.

He clarified that resident doctors, as specialists in training, are not entitled to specialist allowances, which are currently reserved for consultants under existing regulations.

Dr. Salako added that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had advised against extending the allowance to residents, warning it could trigger similar claims from other health workers in specialist training.
Addressing certification concerns, the Minister said the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations, a policy he said the Ministry cannot alter.

On the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, Dr. Salako said the matter followed civil service disciplinary procedures. He disclosed that a ministerial review committee has recommended reinstatement for two doctors, reprimand for two others, and a fresh disciplinary hearing for one.

While acknowledging public frustration over frequent strikes, the Minister noted that industrial actions by doctors are not unique to Nigeria, citing similar disputes in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.

He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, working with the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remains committed to dialogue to stabilise the health sector and prevent future disruptions in healthcare delivery.