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The federal government and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have resumed high-level negotiations to resolve the ongoing nationwide strike by medical professionals, following the approval of N11.99 billion for payment of outstanding arrears and allowances owed to health workers. This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and signed by its Deputy Director and Head of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun. The ministry said the move is part of renewed efforts to address welfare grievances raised by the NARD and other health unions, as well as to reaffirm the government’s commitment to restoring industrial peace in the nation’s health sector. The announcement comes amid a nationwide strike embarked upon by over 11,000 resident doctors across 91 federal and state hospitals, following unresolved issues around unpaid arrears, accoutrement allowances, and other welfare demands. Read also: 91 hospitals, 11,000 doctors, 19 demands – Inside NARD’s indefinite strike According to the ministry, the decision to fast-track payment was reached during a high-level meeting between the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, and the leadership of NARD in Abuja. “In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to ensure that all legitimate arrears owed to health workers are cleared, the federal government has approved the release of N11.995 billion within 72 hours for the payment of outstanding arrears, including accoutrement allowances,” the statement read. The ministry further disclosed that payment of the seven months’ arrears of the 25 percent to 35 percent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) had already commenced, with N10 billion paid in August 2025 and another N21.3 billion moved to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) account by October 30. In addition, the federal government has disbursed N10.6 billion as the full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), exclusively for resident doctors nationwide. Dr. Salako noted that the ministry remains committed to ensuring that the welfare, motivation, and stability of Nigeria’s health workforce form the bedrock of all health sector policies and reforms. As part of broader reforms to address the impact of brain drain and overwork in public hospitals, the ministry said over 20,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses, and allied professionals, were recruited across 58 federal health institutions in 2024. Recruitment for 2025 is ongoing, with an additional 15,000 personnel already approved for employment. Read also: petralonStrike: FG owes health workers N38bn in allowances, says Resident Doctors To sustain dialogue with labour unions, the government has engaged Professor Dafe Otobo, a renowned industrial relations expert, to mediate collective bargaining discussions with NARD, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). The ministry assured that negotiations are progressing on contentious issues such as specialist allowances, salary relativity, and consultant cadre appointments. “The Federal Government reiterates its resolve to safeguard the rights and welfare of all health workers and ensure uninterrupted delivery of quality healthcare services to Nigerians,” the statement affirmed. With this development, stakeholders are hopeful that the doctors’ strike, which has already paralysed services in major hospitals, will be called off soon, restoring normalcy to Nigeria’s overstretched healthcare system.
