The Federal Government says it will release ₦11.99 billion within 72 hours to clear outstanding salaries and allowances owed to medical professionals, in a move aimed at ending the indefinite strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors.

Announcing this on Saturday, the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health, Alaba Balogun, said the government is taking “concrete actions” to resolve the doctors’ grievances through recruitment drives, payment of arrears, and broader reforms in the health sector.

“This payment is part of a coordinated effort to stabilize the health workforce and ensure uninterrupted medical services across the country,” Balogun stated.

According to the ministry, the payment directive came from President Bola Tinubu, who ordered the Ministries of Finance and Health to fast-track the disbursement of funds to health workers.

On Thursday, the government transferred ₦21.3 billion to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for the payment of salaries and allowances, including those owed to members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

Balogun also disclosed that ₦10 billion had earlier been released in August to begin clearing seven months of arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for all categories of health workers.

“All these payments are being enjoyed by members of NARD in accordance with the salary structure in the health sector,” the ministry’s statement read.

To tackle the challenges of brain drain and excessive workloads, the Federal Government has approved special waivers for the mass recruitment of healthcare professionals across federal tertiary institutions.

Balogun stated that over 20,000 health workers have already been employed across 58 federal health institutions, while more than 15,000 additional positions have been approved for recruitment in 2025.

“Additionally, the Federal Government has released N10.6 billion as at September 2025 as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) paid exclusively to resident doctors nationwide,” the statement added.

“This recruitment drive is part of a larger strategy to ensure that Nigeria’s health facilities are adequately staffed, safe, and equipped to deliver quality care to citizens.”

In a move to resolve lingering disputes, the ministry announced that it has engaged Professor Dafe Otobo, a renowned industrial relations expert, to help facilitate constructive dialogue between health unions and the government.

“The negotiator has since met with all the unions individually. A joint meeting of the unions with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with the negotiator, has also taken place as of Thursday, 24th October 2025,” the ministry confirmed.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to collective bargaining and holistic solutions, noting that talks are ongoing on critical issues raised by health unions, including specialist allowances, salary relativity, and the appointment of consultant cadres in hospitals.