The National Industrial Court of Nigeria stepped in on Friday to avert an imminent shutdown of the country’s health sector, issuing an interim order restraining the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) from commencing its planned “TICS 2.0” strike scheduled for January 12, 2026.
Justice Emmanuel Subilim made the order while ruling on a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), following mounting tension between the government and resident doctors over unresolved welfare and professional concerns.
Acting on an application brought before it, the National Industrial Court ordered both parties to maintain the status quo, effectively putting the strike on hold while legal and conciliatory processes continue.
The ruling followed submissions by the Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maimuna Lami Shiru, who led a team of ministry lawyers in moving the motion.
Listed as respondents to the motion and defendants in the substantive suit are NARD, its National President, Dr. Mohammad Suleman, and the association’s Secretary General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim.
On January 3, NARD announced plans to resume its Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike (TICS 2.0) from January 12, citing the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements reached with the association.
The planned industrial action, tagged TICS 2.0—short for Total and Indefinite Closure of Services—was expected to paralyse public hospitals nationwide, compounding pressures on an already overstretched healthcare system.
In a statement issued by its president, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, the association said the decision was taken at an Emergency National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on January 2.
The association said the planned strike was an inevitable consequence of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government’s failure to meet multiple deadlines for implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with resident doctors.
As part of preparations for the renewed action, the NEC directed presidents of all 91 NARD centres nationwide to hold congress meetings and subsequently address the media.
“The National Officers’ Committee appreciates your patience, resilience, and continued support in our collective struggle for doctors’ welfare.
“Following the E-NEC meeting, the following resolutions were reached: the NEC resolved to resume TICS 2.0, tagged ‘No Implementation, No Going Back,’ with effect from January 12, 2026, at 12:00 a.m.
“NEC has also mandated every centre president across the 91 centres to hold congress meetings and, at the conclusion, address the media,” the statement read.
NARD said the plan was to hold 91 press conferences across the country within seven days to draw attention to doctors’ welfare concerns.
The association also announced that centre-based protests would take place from January 12 to January 16, 2026.
“We will resume TICS 2.0 on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. Centre-based protests will be held from January 12 to 16, 2026.
“After the centre-based protests, regional protests at the caucus leaders’ level will follow.
“NEC has also directed that a national protest be organised by the NARD National Officers’ Committee,” it stated.
According to the association, the suspension of TICS 2.0 would only be considered after the full implementation of its minimum demands.
Doctors’ Demand
NARD had earlier suspended its indefinite strike on November 29, after 29 days of industrial action, following the signing of the MoU with the government.
The MoU committed the government to meet the association’s demands within four weeks.
The demands include the reinstatement of five resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; payment of promotion and salary arrears; and the full implementation of the professional allowance table, with arrears captured in the 2026 budget.
Other demands include official clarification on skipping and entry-level issues by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; the reintroduction and implementation of the specialist allowance; the resolution of house officers’ salary delays and arrears; and the issuance of a pay advisory.
The association is also demanding the re-categorisation and issuance of membership certificates after Part I examinations by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria; the commencement of locum and work-hours regulation committees; and the resumption and timely conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement process.
NARD explained that the one-week window before the planned resumption of the strike was intended to allow for proper congress meetings, media engagement, and statutory notifications to security agencies, including the Department of State Services, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as hospital managements.
The episode once again highlights the fragile state of labour relations in Nigeria’s health sector, where court interventions have become injunctions have increasingly be used to come a tool to manage industrial disputes.
As negotiations continue under the shadow of legal proceedings, patients, hospital administrators, and policymakers alike will be watching closely to see whether dialogue can succeed where past agreements have faltered.
For now, hospitals remain open—but the threat of disruption looms large, underscoring the urgent need for durable solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare workforce.