Nigerian Nurses Face Deportation Due to Certification Verification Issues Abroad

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has recently implemented new certificate verification guidelines that have massively impacted Nigerian nurses seeking to work abroad.

As of December 22, 2023, the NMCN abruptly closed its verification portal, leaving many nurses unable to secure employment opportunities overseas. Despite a brief reopening on February 7, 2024, the portal remains largely inaccessible, creating a substantial backlog of pending applications.

The new guidelines, released on February 7, 2024, require applicants to possess at least two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of a permanent practicing license.

Additionally, applicants must provide a letter of good standing from their employers and their last nursing training institution. These measures aim to combat quackery and prevent the mass emigration of nurses, which has seen about 75,000 nurses and midwives leave Nigeria in the past five years.

However, these stringent requirements have sparked widespread protests among nurses and medical professionals. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has criticized the indefinite suspension of license verification services, describing it as a severe violation of nurses' rights. In a statement, the NMA likened the situation to "mass kidnapping," arguing that it effectively holds Nigerian nurses hostage in their own country.

Internationally, the suspension has led to Nigerian applicants being rejected by health boards in countries like the United States and Canada. For instance, the Texas Board of Nursing informed a Nigerian applicant on August 15, 2024, that their application could not proceed due to the unavailability of license verification from the NMCN. Similarly, Alberta Health Services in Canada stated that job offers could not be finalized until the NMCN resumes its verification services.

The ongoing administrative deadlock has left many Nigerian nurses stranded and facing deportation, unable to pursue their careers abroad.