- The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has confirmed that the Federal Government has begun disbursing long-awaited arrears from the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review.
- Members have started receiving payments covering one to six months of outstanding arrears, though the August component faces administrative delays of up to two weeks.
- The disbursement is seen as a strategic move to address welfare concerns and prevent further industrial action in a health sector already strained by the mass migration of medical professionals.
The Federal Government has officially started clearing the backlog of salary arrears owed to members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
Eko Hot Blog reports that Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim, NARD’s Publicity and Social Secretary, confirmed the development in a circular issued on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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The arrears stem from the 25/35 percent review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), a critical salary scale adjustment for medical and dental officers in the public sector.
While many doctors have confirmed receipt of their funds, Ibrahim noted that the August portion of the arrears is currently hindered by minor administrative challenges.
These issues are expected to delay that specific payment by approximately one to two weeks.
He urged members who are yet to be credited to remain patient, assuring them that the association’s leadership is working closely with the relevant government agencies to ensure every member is paid in full.
The delay in implementing the CONMESS review has been a significant point of friction between the government and the medical community.
In recent years, NARD has frequently utilized industrial actions to protest unpaid wages and poor working conditions.
Resident doctors serve as the primary workforce in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals, and their welfare is considered vital to stabilizing a healthcare system currently battling an unprecedented “brain drain,” where thousands of doctors move abroad annually for better remuneration.
Dr. Ibrahim emphasized that the leadership remains committed to the well-being of its members and advised those with unresolved payment discrepancies to reach out through their local center leadership.
The commencement of these payments is expected to temporarily ease tensions and signal a move toward more consistent engagement between health workers and the government.
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