The Federal Government has explained its ongoing standoff with the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, attributing the dispute to structural and policy constraints rather than neglect of health workers’ welfare.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Alaba Balogun, the government said it had increased health workers’ allowances by about ₦90bn annually as part of efforts to promote industrial harmony in the sector.
According to the statement, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this during an interview on AIT’s Kaakaki programme, where he outlined measures taken by the Federal Government to address resident doctors’ demands and prevent recurring strikes.
Salako was quoted as saying that while the government would welcome significant improvements in health workers’ pay, it must balance such demands with obligations to other sectors, including education, security and national infrastructure, within available revenue.
The statement said the ₦90bn increase, approved in November 2025, followed a review of professional allowances covering call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting, and was reached through joint negotiations involving all health worker groups.
It added that the ministry adopted a collective bargaining framework to address past challenges arising from fragmented negotiations by different professional groups, which often resulted in pay disparities and industrial actions.
On NARD’s demands, the statement said negotiations had reduced the association’s requests from 19 to nine, noting that some outstanding issues were constrained by civil service rules and approved schemes of service.
The ministry also clarified that specialist allowances were reserved for consultants, stressing that resident doctors were specialists-in-training, in line with advice from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
The statement further addressed the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, noting that a ministerial review committee had recommended reinstatement for two, reprimand for two others, and a fresh disciplinary hearing for one.
The Federal Government assured Nigerians of continued dialogue with relevant stakeholders to stabilise the health sector and prevent disruptions to healthcare delivery.
