In a dramatic escalation of Nigeria’s healthcare labour crisis, the National Industrial Court in Abuja has issued a court order restraining the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), from commencing a nationwide strike scheduled for January 12, 2026 — but the association’s leadership insists the legal injunction will not deter its industrial action unless its governing council decides otherwise.
Court Intervenes with Interim Injunction
On Friday, January 9, Justice E. D. Subilim of the National Industrial Court granted an interim injunction in favour of the Federal Government and the Attorney‑General of the Federation, who had filed an urgent suit seeking to halt the planned strike.
The court order specifically bars NARD, its top officials, members and anyone acting on its behalf from “calling, directing, organising, participating in or embarking upon any form of industrial action” — including strikes, work stoppages, go‑slows, picketing or related protest activity — from January 12 until the hearing and determination of a motion on notice scheduled for January 21, 2026.
Justice Subilim’s injunction also prohibits preparatory steps toward the strike, underscoring the government’s legal position that the pending dispute should be resolved without interrupting healthcare services. The court gave NARD the option to apply to discharge or vary the order within seven days of being served.
The Doctors’ Demands and Unmet Agreements
The planned strike stems from a bitter dispute over a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), that NARD signed with the Federal Government in late 2025, which temporarily suspended a 29‑day nationwide strike.
Under that agreement, the government committed to addressing a wide range of welfare and professional concerns within four weeks — a deadline NARD says has passed without reputable progress.
According to information circulating in the media and within health sector circles, resident doctors have a list of specific outstanding demands that remain unfulfilled:
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Reinstatement of doctors unjustly dismissed from federal health institutions.
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Payment of salary and promotion arrears, including professional allowances.
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Full implementation of agreed wage adjustments and inclusion of arrears in the 2026 budget.
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Reintroduction and payment of specialist allowances and locum engagement frameworks.
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Timely issuance of postgraduate membership certificates and professional progression clarifications.
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Speedy conclusion of ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.
These demands reflect long‑standing grievances about pay, working conditions and professional recognition, which doctors say have gone unresolved for months despite repeated negotiations and deadlines.
At the core of NARD’s protest is a sense that the Federal Government has not acted in good faith after the MoU was signed — a charge government lawyers vigorously dispute.
The association’s pushback reflects deeply held frustrations among resident doctors over what they view as systemic neglect of their welfare and status within the health sector.
NARD’s Resistance to the Court Order
Despite the court’s directive, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, President of NARD, has publicly rejected the notion that a court order can unilaterally halt collective labour action.
On television and in media statements, he emphasized that the association will proceed with its planned strike unless its National Executive Council (NEC,) decides otherwise — underscoring a belief that legal injunctions should not supersede the democratic decisions of professional associations.
NARD’s stance highlights a broader tension in Nigeria’s labour relations: whether judicial intervention can override the industrial rights of workers, especially in essential services like healthcare where disruptions can affect millions of lives.
Doctors argue that their right to industrial action is protected under Nigerian labour law and international labour conventions, and that an injunction cannot resolve the substantive dispute over unmet welfare demands.
Government and Legal Justifications
From the government’s perspective, the court order aims to protect public health and prevent a collapse of services in federal and state hospitals, where resident doctors deliver much of the frontline care. Authorities have consistently urged NARD to continue negotiating instead of resorting to strikes — a stance the court appeared to echo in its ruling.
The government’s legal team successfully argued that a nationwide strike by resident doctors — a core component of Nigeria’s public health workforce — would exacerbate existing healthcare challenges, particularly amid ongoing industrial actions by other health sector unions.
The injunction reflects a strategy to use legal mechanisms to maintain service continuity while negotiations continue in court and at the negotiation table.
What Comes Next?
With the injunction in force until January 21, 2026, when the court will hear a substantive motion on notice, both sides are preparing for a protracted standoff:
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NARD is poised to challenge the court order and press its case for industrial action.
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The Federal Government insists the rule of law and negotiated agreements must be upheld before any withdrawal of services.
The coming days are likely to see legal motions, media engagement and renewed negotiations — all unfolding against the backdrop of a fractured healthcare system that millions of Nigerians depend on daily.
Impact on Healthcare Delivery
If the strike proceeds despite the injunction, hospitals could face severe understaffing, delays in clinical services, surgical backlogs and disruptions in emergency care — compounding pressures already felt by patients and other healthcare professionals.
Conversely, compliance with the court order without addressing the root grievances may fuel further discontent and ignite fresh labour unrest down the line.
