The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected a new circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. The circular outlines new allowance payments for medical and dental officers working for the federal government.
NARD said the circular is confusing, out of touch with reality, and insults the hard work and dedication of doctors across the country.
The circular, dated June 27, 2025, with reference number SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646, has caused strong reactions from major medical groups like the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, and NARD. They accuse the commission of acting unfairly and ignoring previous agreements made with doctors.
In a statement released by NARD President Dr. Tope Osundara and Secretary-General Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku, the association called the circular a poorly thought-out decision that fails to address the real challenges doctors face in Nigeria.
She statement, titled “Rejection of the National Salary Income and Wages Commission Circular on Review of Allowances,” said the decision was poorly planned and disrespectful to doctors.
NARD said the circular shows how disconnected the government is from the real problems in the healthcare sector and that it shows how little care is given to the welfare of medical professionals.
The group added that the new allowance structure does not reflect the current high cost of living and does nothing to encourage doctors to stay in Nigeria, especially with many leaving the country for better opportunities.
“It shows how little concern the government has for Nigerian doctors who work hard despite poor conditions, staff shortages, and lack of equipment,” the statement said.
NARD reminded the government that it has failed to follow the terms of a 2009 agreement meant to improve doctors’ welfare and reduce strike actions.Instead of honoring that agreement, NARD said the government is now acting alone and making decisions without proper discussion or respect for doctors.
“The Wages Commission made this new allowance structure on its own, without being open or fair. This shows a lack of respect and understanding,” NARD said.
Besides how it was made, NARD also criticized the actual content of the circular.
The group said the new allowances are not attractive or enough to stop doctors from leaving Nigeria for better working conditions abroad.
NARD said the allowances do not match the hard economic situation doctors face in Nigeria today.
They also said the circular ignores the real reasons doctors are leaving, such as heavy workloads, burnout, stress, and unpaid overtime.
“It completely ignores the reasons doctors are leaving the country and the damage this is causing to Nigeria’s healthcare system,” the statement said.
The association added that doctors are working under unsafe and stressful conditions, and there’s little support from the government.
They also said the circular left out important payments like the specialist allowance, which makes frustrated doctors feel even more ignored.
“Nigeria has a serious shortage of health workers. This is due to poor pay, bad working conditions, stress, and no extra pay for overtime. With all these problems, what the government has offered is insulting,” the group added.
NARD called on the government to immediately set up a new team to properly negotiate with doctors and respect past agreements.
The group demanded a new salary structure that includes all key allowances, such as the specialist allowance, and matches what they already submitted to the Ministry of Health.
“NARD wants a revised salary structure and proper allowances, including the specialist allowance, based on earlier agreements made with the Federal Government,” the statement said.
NARD also said it fully supports the Nigerian Medical Association, which recently gave the government a 21-day deadline to withdraw the circular and meet their demands or face a major strike.
The NMA had earlier demanded the circular be withdrawn immediately and for the government to fix salary issues based on agreements made in 2001, 2009, 2014, and 2021.
The NMA also gave an 18-point list of demands, which included fixing salary structures, paying overdue allowances, releasing the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, starting new negotiations on doctors’ salaries, and reversing appointments of non-doctors as consultants in public hospitals.
They also demanded payments for clinical duties, extra workload allowances, and the implementation of the new retirement age for doctors.
