Court restrains Nigeria’s resident doctors from planned strike

The court also barred NARD from taking steps preparatory to any industrial action.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, has issued an interim order restraining the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and its members from embarking on the nationwide strike scheduled to commence on 12 January.

Justice Emmanuel Subilim made the order on Friday while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

The suit lists NARD, its National President, Mohammad Suleiman, and its Secretary General, Shuaibu Ibrahim, as respondents.

In the enrolment order dated 9 January, the court restrained the association, its members, agents and privies from “calling, directing, organising, participating in or embarking upon any form of industrial action, including but not limited to strikes, work stoppages, go-slows, picketing or any other form of industrial protest,” pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.

The court also barred NARD from taking steps preparatory to any industrial action, noting that “this order shall remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice fixed for the 21 January 2026.”

Planned strike

PREMIUM TIMES reports that on 3 January, NARD announced plans to resume its Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike (TICS 2.0) from 12 January, citing the federal government’s failure to implement agreements reached with the association.

In a statement signed by its president, Mr Suleiman, the association said the decision was taken at an Emergency National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on 2 January.

The strike, tagged “No Implementation, No Going Back,” was expected to commence at midnight on 12 January unless the government met the association’s outstanding demands.

As part of preparations, NARD directed presidents of its 91 centres nationwide to convene congress meetings and address the media.

It also announced plans for centre-based protests across hospitals from 12 to 16 January, followed by regional and national protests.

The association said the one-week notice period was intended to allow for congress meetings, media engagement and statutory notifications to security agencies, including the Department of State Services, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

However, Mr Subilim has fixed 21 January for the hearing of the substantive motion and directed the claimants to serve the respondents with the order within seven days.

NARD was also granted liberty to apply to vary or discharge the order.

Background to the dispute

NARD had suspended an earlier indefinite strike on 29 November 2025 after 29 days of industrial action, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the federal government.

Under the MoU, the government committed to implementing the association’s demands within four weeks.

However, NARD said repeated deadlines for implementation were missed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other relevant authorities, prompting the planned resumption of the strike.

The association said it would only suspend the renewed action after the full implementation of its minimum demands.

These include the reinstatement of five resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; payment of promotion and salary arrears; and the full implementation of the professional allowance table, with arrears captured in the 2026 budget.