NMCN Portal Reopens for Nurses, Midwives

NMCN Portal Back Online for Verification

The NMCN disclosed that a staggering 42,000 nurses have emigrated from Nigeria in the last three years, with a significant 15,000 leaving in 2023 alone.

Nigerian nurses' verification portal reopens after months of closure, but negotiations with the government on key demands and concerns are ongoing.

After an 8-month shutdown, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has reopened its online portal, enabling nurses and midwives to verify their certificates once again, effective immediately.

The NMCN portal reopened on Saturday, September 16, 2024, ending months of uncertainty and frustration for Nigerian nurses worldwide.

Despite the portal's reactivation, the NMCN has not issued an official statement on the matter.

The portal's reopening is timely, as it meets one of the key demands of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which had threatened industrial action if the government didn't act within 15 days.

The NANNM's ultimatum, set to expire on Monday, September 16, 2024, called for the portal's reopening, as well as an improved salary structure for nurses and the establishment of a dedicated Department of Nursing, among other reforms.

Prior to the portal's reopening, a series of meetings took place between key stakeholders, including the Minister of Health, NMCN, and NANNM, aimed at finding a solution to the issue.

The National Assembly stepped in, twice urging the NMCN to reopen the portal and allow certificate verifications to continue under existing guidelines until the House Committee on Health Institutions' investigation was complete.

Philip Eteng, National Secretary of the Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria (GNAN), shed light on the negotiations, revealing that the portal's reopening resulted from talks between the Minister of Health and representatives of Nigerian nurses and midwives.

According to Eteng, the outcome of the initial negotiation session led to the portal's reopening, although the broader negotiation process was still ongoing, indicating that further discussions were needed to fully resolve the issues at hand.

A nurse at a prominent university teaching hospital in Nigeria confirmed that, although the portal was now accessible, the NANNM had advised nurses to delay verification until Wednesday to allow for the resolution of minor issues.

The nurse noted that while the verification guidelines remained largely unchanged, a new requirement had been introduced: a letter of clear standing from the last nursing institution attended or, for employed nurses, from the head of nursing services. Previously, this letter was required to come from the Chief Medical Director, indicating a slight shift in the verification process.

GNAN President Ojo Opeyemi confirmed the portal's reopening but raised concerns over new conditions in the verification process.

While acknowledging preliminary complaints, Opeyemi urged caution, stating that the association is collecting feedback from affected nurses to determine if issues are widespread or isolated.

The prolonged portal closure had severe consequences, leaving hundreds of Nigerian nurses - especially those abroad - in limbo, as they struggled to verify their certificates with foreign nursing boards.

Nigerian nurses faced a dire situation, with some at risk of deportation due to the inability to verify their credentials. This was because nursing boards in countries like the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK had ceased accepting Nigerian certificates, citing the NMCN's inactivity as the reason.

The crisis unfolded in February 2024, when the NMCN raised alarm over the large-scale migration of Nigerian nurses seeking better job prospects abroad, prompting a chain of events that ultimately led to the verification impasse and its severe consequences for affected nurses.

The NMCN disclosed that a staggering 42,000 nurses have emigrated from Nigeria in the last three years, with a significant 15,000 leaving in 2023 alone. In response to this alarming brain drain, the Council identified key push factors - including subpar healthcare infrastructure, insufficient funding, and unacceptable working conditions - and introduced revised certificate verification guidelines to help stem the exodus of skilled nurses from Nigeria's healthcare system.

In a February 7, 2024 memo, the NMCN introduced new requirements for certificate verification, including a mandatory two-year post-qualification experience and a non-refundable application fee, aimed at applicants seeking to practice abroad.

However, these changes sparked widespread criticism from healthcare stakeholders, who argued that the new guidelines unfairly restricted their career prospects. The two-year experience requirement drew particular ire, with many nurses and healthcare workers viewing it as an unnecessary barrier to advancement and a violation of their rights.

While the reopening of the verification portal marks a crucial breakthrough in the talks between Nigerian nurses and the government, the outcome of other critical demands and concerns remains uncertain. For the time being, nurses have been cautioned to await further updates as negotiations are ongoing, indicating that a comprehensive resolution has yet to be achieved.