The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA), commenced an indefinite strike on Monday morning, citing the administration’s failure to address critical issues affecting healthcare delivery in the nation’s capital.
The industrial action, which began at 8 am on September 15, 2025, followed the expiration of a seven-day warning strike that failed to prompt government intervention. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, ARD-FCTA President Dr. George Ebong emphasized that the strike was not a personal attack on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike but a response to systemic failures in the territory’s healthcare system.
“The Government of FCTA has refused to listen; the Congress has mandated that until they listen, we will go on strike starting this morning. This is not targeted against the minister or mandate secretary, but against a failed health system,” Ebong declared.
The association’s grievances center on financial and operational challenges that have persisted despite seven months of dialogue with government officials. Dr. Ebong highlighted the non-payment of 26 members’ salaries, unexplained salary deductions, and promotion exercises that have remained stagnant since 2023. He also criticized the deteriorating state of medical facilities across FCT hospitals, noting that some facilities lack basic equipment such as X-ray machines.
“Some of the hospitals do not have X-rays. Hospitals are not favourable for working,” he said, painting a picture of healthcare infrastructure in decline.
The doctors’ demands extend beyond salary issues to encompass broader systemic problems. In a communiqué issued after an emergency congress on Sunday, September 14, the association outlined twelve unresolved issues that have prompted the indefinite strike. These include non-payment of salary arrears owed to members employed since 2023, the government’s failure to recruit new doctors despite an acute manpower crisis, and non-payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund.
Additional concerns include unpaid arrears from the 25/35 percent CONMESS salary review, persistent salary deductions and irregular payments, and promotion delays that have affected career progression since 2023. The association also cited non-payment of hazard allowance arrears spanning 13 months and the general decay and lack of equipment plaguing FCTA hospitals.
The striking doctors have presented a comprehensive list of demands to the government, including immediate payment of all outstanding arrears, urgent recruitment of new medical personnel, implementation of overdue promotion exercises, and comprehensive renovation of FCT hospitals. They have made it clear that normal hospital operations will remain suspended until these issues are addressed.
The association warned that the strike would continue indefinitely until the government demonstrates what they termed “genuine commitment” to prioritizing healthcare in the Federal Capital Territory. This development threatens to severely impact medical services across public hospitals in Abuja, potentially affecting thousands of patients who rely on these facilities for healthcare services.
The strike highlights ongoing tensions between healthcare workers and government administrators over working conditions, compensation, and infrastructure development in Nigeria’s public health sector. With no immediate resolution in sight, residents of the FCT may face significant challenges accessing medical care at government hospitals until the dispute is resolved.
