The Association of Resident Doctors under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has announced the start of an indefinite strike, beginning at midnight on Saturday, November 1, 2025. The doctors said the decision followed the government’s failure to address long-standing welfare and administrative concerns affecting its members.
The declaration was contained in a letter dated October 30, 2025, addressed to Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The letter was jointly signed by the ARD-FCTA President, Dr. George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong.
Okay News reports that the letter was also sent to other key offices, including the FCT Head of Service and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, signalling possible disruption of healthcare services in public hospitals across Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
The ARD-FCTA stated that its decision aligns with the nationwide industrial action declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). However, it stressed that even if the national strike is suspended, doctors in the FCT will continue their own action until local demands are met.
“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, scheduled to commence from 12 midnight on Saturday, 1st November 2025,” the letter stated.
“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.”
The association explained that despite previous meetings with authorities, key welfare and administrative matters had remained unresolved. It added that the strike would continue independently “until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met.”
Among the demands listed were the immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears for members employed since 2023, urgent recruitment of new doctors, and the payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).
Other requests included the correction of salary errors, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on skipping and conversion within a set timeframe, promotion of post-Part II Fellows to Consultant level, and the release of promotion arrears.
The doctors also demanded the payment of wage award arrears, hazard allowance arrears for 13 months, and arrears from the 25 to 35 per cent review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). They further called for the renovation and upgrading of all FCTA hospitals to meet international standards.
The strike is expected to have a significant impact on healthcare delivery across the Federal Capital Territory, as resident doctors form the majority of the medical workforce in public hospitals.
