The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has proposed a 48-hour weekly work limit and mandatory 24-hour rest after call duties for healthcare personnel across Nigeria.
NARD Publicity and Social Secretary, Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, announced the framework on Sunday, August 16, 2026, following consultations with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
He said the recommendations followed a nationwide assessment involving 6,350 healthcare personnel across the six geopolitical zones.
Under the proposal, healthcare workers would work no more than 48 hours weekly, including weekends. Approved overtime would be documented and compensated through enhanced pay or structured time off.
Day shifts would be limited to eight hours and afternoon shifts to six, while duties exceeding 12 hours would be restricted to emergencies, with continuous duty capped at 24 hours.
Call duties would be limited to two per week and one weekend call monthly, with equitable distribution among eligible personnel.
The framework also provides for at least 12 hours between regular shifts and 24 hours of post-call rest after weekday, weekend and public-holiday calls.
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Workers would receive a minimum one-hour break after six hours of continuous duty, with hospitals expected to stagger breaks without disrupting patient care.
NARD also recommended protected time for research and professional development.
The association said the guidelines had been forwarded to medical directors and chief medical directors and urged hospital authorities to work towards compliance. Members were advised to document breaches and channel complaints through their centre leaderships.
NARD said a separate document on the casualisation of doctors and abusive locum appointments would be released later.
The proposal extends NARD’s October 1, 2025 directive restricting continuous call duties to 24 hours, amid longstanding concerns about excessive workloads and doctors’ welfare.
The latest framework, however, remains subject to approval by the National Council on Health and is not yet binding.
The proposal comes after a five-day nationwide resident doctors’ strike in September 2025 over unresolved welfare issues, including medical residency training funding and salary arrears.