Nurses Protest The NMCN Verification Portal's Closure

According to a Nigerian nurse, the closure of their license verification portal for more than a month was done to prevent them from leaving the nation.

The deactivation of the verification portal of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria since December 2023 was bemoaned by nurses and midwives across the nation on Wednesday.

The nurses claimed in an interview that the council's decision to deactivate the portal is an attempt to restrict their ability to pursue professional opportunities.

The NMCN is the only corporate, legal, administrative, and statutory organization tasked with carrying out particular duties on behalf of the federal government to guarantee that the general public receives safe and effective nursing and midwifery care via high-quality instruction and industry best practices.

The law requires the council to set standards for nursing and midwifery education and practice in Nigeria and to periodically review those standards in light of the evolving health needs of the populace.

The General Manager of Exaro Enterprise Solution Limited was notified by the NMCN in a memo on December 22, 2023, to shut down the verification portal.

The memo titled “Closure of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria's verification portal” was received by our correspondent.

Godwill Stella signed the memo, which stated in part, “I am directed by the Registrar/CEO, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to inform you to close the verification application portal by 4:00 pm today, being 22nd December 2023.

“Please note that the notice for reopening the verification portal will be communicated to you in due course.

“Please accept the assurances of our Registrar/CEO's highest regards.”

On Wednesday, after numerous attempts to log in, it was discovered that the "licence verification" button next to the "Reissue licence" button had been disabled.

However, among nurses and midwives who work in Nigeria and abroad, the portal's deactivation has caused some concern.

A nurse, said, “The lack of communication and transparency surrounding the council's decision has left many nurses feeling uncertain about their professional future.

“Nurses perceive the council's actions as an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities elsewhere.

“I can't process any registration with any foreign board of nursing if the council does not verify that I have a valid license to practice nursing.”

According to a different nurse, the council failed to notify its members of the rationale behind the portal's closure.

She stated; “It's been a nightmare, more so with the fact that there was no official reason as to when the portal will be reopened, and why it was initially closed.

“I am stuck in the whole relocation process. We all feel the heat as we are wasting so much time; deadlines are not met, and a lot of money has been put into this process.

“We need to know when the portal will be reopened so we can progress on our respective careers as much as we want.”

A different nurse used her X handle to request that the nursing council take up the matter.

She said, “I can't stress enough the importance of providing a clear and detailed explanation for the deactivation of the verification portal and the need for a swift resolution or alternative measures to address the ongoing issue.”