By Atoyebi Nike
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged the Federal Government to immediately review doctors’ salaries and introduce stronger incentives to stem the ongoing migration of health professionals abroad, popularly known as ‘Japa’.
Speaking at the association’s 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Katsina State, NARD President, Dr. Tope Osundara, praised members for their resilience through what he described as a year of “triumphs and travails.” He warned that poor pay and harsh working conditions were driving an unprecedented exodus of Nigerian doctors, leaving critically ill patients without adequate care.
“The strongest reward to motivate health workers in Nigeria is payment of salary and other financial incentives,” Osundara said, lamenting that no collective bargaining agreement has reviewed doctors’ salaries in over a decade.
He cautioned that a nationwide strike may be inevitable if the government fails to meet the 19-point demand of the National Medical Employees by August 2025, stressing that fresh salary negotiations, incentive-based policies, and enhanced training were critical to retaining medical talent.
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, assured resident doctors of the state government’s continued support, while urging them to place patriotism above remuneration.
NARD reaffirmed that improved pay and working conditions remain its top priorities, as the association seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system amid mounting pressures.
