The NARD strike dispute deepens as a court injunction halts planned industrial action, while resident doctors insist unresolved demands keep pressure on government.
The legal battle between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has taken centre stage following a court order restraining the association from embarking on a planned nationwide industrial action.
The ruling, delivered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja, has intensified tensions within the health sector, raising fresh concerns about the stability of Nigeria’s already strained healthcare system.
On Friday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim granted an interim injunction stopping NARD and its members from proceeding with the strike scheduled to commence on January 12, 2026.
The order followed an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation, arguing that the proposed action could severely disrupt essential medical services across the country.
According to the court, the application was urgent and meritorious. Justice Subilim stated that after reviewing the submissions of government lawyers and the documents placed before him, the circumstances justified the issuance of an interim injunction.
He restrained NARD, its leadership, members, agents and anyone acting on its behalf from calling, organising or participating in any form of industrial protest, including strikes, work stoppages, picketing or go-slows.
The court further barred the association’s National President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleman, and Secretary General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, from taking any steps that could advance the planned strike.
The order will remain in effect until January 21, 2026, when the motion on notice is expected to be heard and determined. Both parties were also given timelines to serve and respond to the court processes.
While the ruling temporarily halted the proposed action, it has not eased the underlying tension.
The NARD strike announcement earlier this month was rooted in what the association described as the Federal Government’s persistent failure to fully implement agreements reached during previous negotiations.
Resident doctors argue that these unresolved issues have lingered for years, despite repeated assurances.
The decision to resume the strike was taken during an emergency virtual meeting of NARD’s National Executive Council (NEC) held on January 2.
Following the meeting, the association directed its centre presidents across 91 accredited training centres nationwide to mobilise members and engage the public.
Plans were also outlined for phased protests, starting with centre-based demonstrations, followed by regional and nationwide actions.
Central to the dispute are long-standing welfare and professional concerns. NARD insists that it will only reconsider suspending industrial action if its minimum demands are fully met.
These include the reinstatement of five resident doctors disengaged from the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lokoja, payment of outstanding promotion and salary arrears, and resolution of other systemic challenges affecting residency training and working conditions.
Reacting to the court order, NARD’s leadership made it clear that it was neither surprised nor intimidated.
Speaking during a national television programme, Dr Suleman said resident doctors had anticipated both the “no work, no pay” policy and possible legal action long before announcing the resumption of the NARD strike.
He explained that similar measures had been employed during past disputes with successive governments and were therefore factored into the association’s strategy.
According to him, the resolve of resident doctors remains firm, even in the face of threats such as salary stoppages, injunctions or possible sanctions.
Despite this tough stance, the NARD president maintained that the association is not opposed to dialogue.
He expressed respect for the Coordinating Minister of Health and the Minister of State for Health, noting that they are senior colleagues within the medical profession.
However, he stressed that respect alone cannot replace concrete action.
Dr Suleman recalled that NARD suspended a previous strike based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the government.
He said the association followed up with reminder letters and multiple visits to government agencies, but little progress was recorded.
According to him, noticeable movement only began after the strike resumption was announced, raising doubts about the sincerity of the response.
One of the most contentious issues remains the payment of salary arrears.
While government officials have claimed that several demands have been met, NARD disputes this assertion.
Dr Suleman revealed that over 2,000 resident doctors are still owed arrears ranging from 25 to 35 per cent, despite repeated promises since 2023.
He explained that although the funds were reportedly included in service-wide votes in successive budgets, they were never released to beneficiaries.
This, he said, has left doctors exhausted and frustrated by repeated delays and reliance on special interventions rather than permanent budgetary provisions.
The association insists that capturing these entitlements directly in the national budget is non-negotiable.
According to NARD, this approach is the only way to guarantee transparency, accountability and sustainability, rather than subjecting doctors to recurring uncertainty.
Beyond financial concerns, the dispute highlights broader challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Resident doctors play a critical role in tertiary hospitals, often forming the backbone of service delivery.
Prolonged disputes, court battles and threats of sanctions risk deepening existing manpower shortages and worsening patient outcomes.
Critics of the government’s approach argue that legal injunctions and enforcement of no-work-no-pay policies, while lawful, may harden positions rather than foster trust.
Dr Suleman described such measures as hostile tactics, especially when negotiations are ongoing, warning that they undermine good-faith engagement.
He also questioned whether enough attention is being paid to the working conditions of doctors and the ripple effects on patients.
According to him, overworked, frustrated and poorly compensated doctors cannot deliver optimal care, and the ultimate victims of unresolved disputes are ordinary Nigerians who depend on public hospitals.
As of now, discussions between NARD and the federal government are reportedly ongoing behind closed doors.
While the court order has temporarily restrained industrial action, it has not resolved the core issues driving the conflict.
Observers believe that meaningful progress will depend on concrete commitments rather than procedural delays.
