The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) decided not to start a major nationwide strike after a long 12-hour emergency meeting that lasted through the night.
They gave the Federal Government 21 more days to meet their demands. If not, they warned that the country’s healthcare system could completely fall apart.
This decision came after a tense meeting. The meeting happened because the 21-day deadline the NMA had earlier given the government had just ended.
Back in early July, the NMA had told the government they had 21 days to meet certain demands or face a strike in the health sector.
The NMA was upset about a government circular that adjusted doctors’ allowances under a salary structure. They felt it was unfair.
Other demands included full health insurance for all doctors, proper hospital management boards, an official circular for a new retirement age for doctors, and better welfare and support for healthcare workers.
They also asked the government to stop appointing non-doctors as consultants in hospitals, saying it could risk patient safety and reduce care quality.
Last week, top officials from the ministries of Health, Labour, and Education met with NMA leaders in Abuja to talk about the issues.
At the meeting, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), where the government promised to reverse the controversial circular.
The government also promised to look into other demands made by the NMA.
However, during the NMA’s emergency meeting on Saturday, the presentation of the MoU turned into a heated argument that nearly split the association.
Sources at the meeting said the delegates were very upset. They rejected the agreement, saying it was vague, dishonest, and had no clear deadlines.
This rejection led to intense debates and strong calls for an immediate and indefinite nationwide strike.
Things got so bad that there were several emergency breaks. Behind the scenes, people were negotiating and trying to calm things down.
One source said the situation was very tense. NMA leaders tried hard to calm everyone and find a peaceful solution.
Because the situation was so serious, the Federal Government acted quickly to prevent a healthcare shutdown.
Sources said the meeting got so heated that two ministers and a top intelligence officer had to rush there to help calm the situation.
One NMA official said there were many last-minute efforts. Governors called in. Government officials pleaded. The decision to suspend the strike wasn’t taken lightly.
He said that even governors from the ruling party were contacted to help convince the delegates from different states.
Many phone calls were made, private meetings were held, and promises were made. The government tried hard to resolve the doctors’ issues quickly.
The government promised to pay unpaid salary arrears and correct the circular that caused issues with salaries.
After hours of discussions and appeals, a fragile agreement was reached.
Despite heavy pressure from members pushing for a strike, the NMA gave the government a final 21-day grace period. Some members were unhappy but agreed to wait.
This 21-day grace is both a warning and a chance for the government to act. If nothing changes, the strike will begin.
When a reporter spoke to the NMA’s National Secretary, Dr. Ben Egbo, he confirmed the strike was suspended after a very difficult meeting.
He said the meeting started at 2:30 p.m. and ended at 4 a.m. It included many breaks, arguments, and a moment where the NMA president had to step out due to the tension.
Egbo said that delegates from across the country rejected the MoU with the government, saying it lacked clear details, deadlines, and solid promises.
He explained the MoU was created after days of talks between the NMA, medical academics, and key ministries.
A high-level committee worked for five days to prepare the MoU, but it was eventually rejected by the wider group.
Egbo said the members didn’t trust the agreement. They felt it was just full of old, broken promises. This time, doctors across Nigeria were ready to shut down hospitals.
He said the 21-day extension was a hard but necessary choice.
Egbo stressed that doctors don’t enjoy going on strike. They just want Nigeria’s health system to be better and treated with respect.
He added, “Doctors don’t strike for fun. We’re the last ones who want hospitals to shut down. But when we’re pushed too far, even patience has limits. If nothing changes after 21 days, we won’t talk again—we’ll act.”
