On Wednesday, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria announced revised guidelines and requirements for individuals applying for certificate verification with foreign nursing boards/councils.
Now, applicants are required to have a minimum of two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of their permanent practising licence.
The revised guidelines, signed by the Registrar/Secretary General of NMCN, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, and posted on the council’s official page, detail the application process, including a non-refundable fee per application for verification to Foreign Boards of Nursing. Additionally, eligible applicants must possess an active practising licence valid for at least six more months.
However, these changes have provoked widespread anger on social media, with nurses and health workers condemning the requirements as a violation of basic human rights. Criticism on various platforms has called out the NMCN for allegedly frustrating nurses’ career progression and advocating for better salary and working conditions.
Concerns have also been raised about the prolonged verification process, which some view as hindering opportunities for career advancement. Moreover, nurses have lamented the deactivation of the NMCN verification portal since December 2023, which they perceive as a deliberate attempt to impede their ability to explore new career prospects.
