The Association of Resident Doctors under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has declared an indefinite strike, set to commence at 12 midnight today, October 30, 2025. This decisive action is a direct response to a multitude of unresolved welfare and administrative concerns that have significantly impacted its members.

The formal declaration of the strike was communicated through a letter dated October 30, 2025, which was addressed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The letter was jointly signed by Dr. George Ebong, President of ARD-FCTA, and Dr. Agbor Affiong, General Secretary, and subsequently made available to journalists on Friday. This local decision follows a similar declaration by the national body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which announced an indefinite nationwide strike to begin on the same date.

During an emergency congress meeting held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, members of the ARD-FCTA unanimously voted to fully participate in the national strike. However, the association has made it unequivocally clear that its own strike will persist independently, even if NARD decides to suspend or call off its nationwide action. The ARD-FCTA is resolute in its commitment to continue the indefinite strike until all specific issues affecting its members within the FCT are comprehensively addressed and satisfactorily resolved. The letter explicitly stated, “Following NARD’s declaration, the Supreme Congress of ARD-FCTA deliberated extensively on our unresolved local matters and unanimously voted to fully join the indefinite strike. It is important to note that even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue with its own indefinite action until all our demands are satisfactorily met.” The FCT Minister’s Office, the Head of Service, and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat officially acknowledged receipt of this critical letter on October 31, 2025.

The ARD-FCTA represents doctors working across the 14 district and general hospitals, as well as those within the Department of Public Health, all operating under the FCTA. Given that resident doctors constitute the majority of the workforce in FCTA-owned hospitals, the impending strike is expected to cause significant disruptions to healthcare delivery across the Federal Capital Territory.

The comprehensive list of demands put forth by the doctors includes several critical points. These include the immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears for members employed since 2023, and the commencement of new doctor recruitment, with a written, time-bound commitment to conclude the process by the end of 2025. Furthermore, they demand the immediate release of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), the immediate stoppage of erroneous deductions, and the correction of irregular salary payments. The doctors are also calling for documented timelines for “skipping” and conversion processes to be completed within one month, along with a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mandating the skipping of members within three months of employment. Other key demands include the conversion of post–Part II Fellows to Consultant cadre within six months of passing their examinations, and the release of promotion timelines and full payment of promotion arrears within one month.

Should the strike proceed as planned, it will undoubtedly place immense strain on healthcare infrastructure and patient care throughout the FCT, potentially impacting thousands of residents reliant on these services.