President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed resident doctors to immediately return to work following a strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the president has mandated all federal teaching hospitals and medical institutions to resume full operations. The Ministry of Labour has been instructed to monitor compliance.

The federal government has released over ₦21 billion in arrears to resident doctors, with an additional ₦11.9 billion pending. Measures have also been announced to raise the retirement age for clinical staff in federal tertiary hospitals to 65 years and to establish a committee, including NARD representatives, to develop a standardized locum‑doctor hiring policy.

NARD, however, says its 19-point demands have not been fully addressed and maintains that unpaid allowances and staffing shortages remain major concerns.

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The strike has disrupted services across federal hospitals, putting pressure on healthcare delivery nationwide. The government’s directive aims to restore operations while negotiations continue.