Hundreds of Nigerian nurses are on the brink of deportation as the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) continues to keep its certificate verification portal closed. This has left many stranded abroad, unable to verify their credentials with nursing boards in countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Despite repeated calls for the NMCN to reopen the portal, including resolutions from the National Assembly, the council remains unyielding. The closure, which began after the NMCN introduced new verification guidelines in February 2024, has sparked widespread outcry among the nursing community and beyond.
NMCN’s revised guidelines, announced on February 7, 2024, require applicants to have at least two years of post-qualification experience, among other stringent conditions. The guidelines have been met with stiff resistance, leading to protests, legal actions, and a strong pushback from stakeholders within Nigeria’s health sector. The situation worsened on August 28, 2024, when the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government, demanding the immediate reopening of the portal and addressing other long-standing issues.
The verification crisis began after over 42,000 nurses left Nigeria between 2021 and 2023, with 15,000 leaving in 2023 alone, citing poor working conditions. The NMCN’s move to tighten verification processes was seen as an attempt to stem this brain drain. However, the decision has backfired, with many nurses now facing the possibility of deportation due to their inability to verify their certificates.
A nurse working in one of Nigeria’s leading teaching hospitals expressed frustration over the prolonged closure of the portal, stating that despite the National Assembly’s intervention, the NMCN has yet to comply with orders to revert to the old verification guidelines. “We were told the delay is due to IT issues, but it’s been months, and many of us are stuck in limbo,” she lamented.
The situation is dire, with reports indicating that several nurses may face deportation from countries like Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Canada if the portal is not reopened soon. The Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria (GNAN), which had initially taken legal action against the NMCN, has since withdrawn its case following assurances from the council. However, the GNAN President, Ojo Opeyemi, remains cautiously optimistic, noting that they are waiting to see if the NMCN will honor its promise to reopen the portal.
Meanwhile, the NANNM has called for the immediate gazetting of the Unified Scheme of Service, enhanced salary structures, and the creation of a dedicated Department of Nursing. The association has warned that if these demands are not met within the 15-day ultimatum, they will resort to industrial action, further compounding the challenges facing Nigeria’s already struggling health sector.
