Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory has announced it will embark on indefinite strike starting 12 midnight on Saturday, November 1, 2025, over unmet demands.
The announcement on Friday was contained in a letter dated October 30, 2025, and addressed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The letter signed by the president, FCT resident doctors association ( ARD-FCTA), Dr George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr Agbor Affiong, followed the announcement by its national body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, to commence an indefinite and total strike on the same date.
The ARD-FCTA doctors vowed to continue the indefinite strike action even if the national body suspends or calls off its ongoing strike.
ARD-FCTA noted that the action became necessary due to long-standing issues affecting its members, which, it said, have not been resolved despite previous engagements with the authorities.
According to the ARD-FCTA, the decision followed an emergency congress meeting held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, during which members unanimously voted to fully join the indefinite strike earlier declared by their national body.
“This is to formally notify all relevant stakeholders of the impending indefinite strike action declared by our parent body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), scheduled to commence from 12 midnight on Saturday, 1st November 2025.
“Following this declaration, the Supreme Congress of ARD-FCTA, after its Emergency Congress Meeting held on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, deliberated extensively on the state of our unresolved local issues. The Congress unanimously voted to fully join the NARD-declared indefinite strike in its entirety.
“It is, however, important to note that even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue with its own indefinite strike action until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met,” the letter partly stated.
Their demand includes the immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears to members employed since 2023; commencement of recruitment of new doctors with written, time-bound commitments to conclude before the end of 2025; and the immediate payment of the 2025 MRTF for doctors’ medical training.
Other demands include the immediate stoppage of erroneous deductions and correction of irregular salary payments; documented timelines for skipping and conversion to be fully concluded within one month; and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding mandating the skipping of members within three months of employment.
They are also seeking the conversion of post-Part II Fellows to Consultant cadre within six months of passing, release of promotion timelines and full payment of arrears within one month, and the immediate payment of wage award arrears, as already done for colleagues at the federal and state levels.
Additional demands are the immediate payment of arrears from the 25/35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, urgent renovation, equipping, and upgrading of all FCTA hospitals to globally acceptable standards, immediate payment of 13 months’ hazard allowance arrears, and the immediate payment of all arrears owed to 2025 external residents.
