The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that it will release ₦11.995 billion within 72 hours to clear outstanding arrears owed to resident doctors and other health workers. This move comes amid an indefinite nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over unpaid salaries, allowances, and unfulfilled demands.

The government stated that the funds will cover arrears, including accoutrement allowances, and will complement previous payments made to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to support health workers’ salaries. Additional interventions include the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025 and a recruitment drive to employ more healthcare staff across federal tertiary institutions to address staffing shortages and improve healthcare delivery.

Officials confirmed that the release of the funds is part of wider efforts by the Tinubu-Kashim administration to resolve industrial disputes in the health sector, ensure welfare of healthcare workers, and prevent disruptions to critical services in teaching hospitals and federal health facilities.

The Federal Government has urged NARD to engage constructively in ongoing negotiations while committing to timely disbursement of all allocated funds. The administration warned that failure to release the funds within the stipulated period may escalate tensions but reiterated its resolve to protect healthcare service delivery nationwide.