Nigerian nurses working in the UK and US are being compelled to return home due to certificate verification issues, raising concerns about the impact on their careers and healthcare systems abroad.
Countless Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad are in turmoil since the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria deactivated their verification portal suddenly in February.
At present, renewing licenses and meeting regulatory standards established by international entities are proving to be challenging for healthcare professionals.
Legal consequences have arisen for certain nurses who lack verification from NMCN and therefore breach visa conditions and employment regulations.
Numerous nurses overseas, comprising those from the United Kingdom and the United States, were compelled to come back home due to this issue.
In September 2023, having moved from Nigeria, he enthusiastically joined the UK Trust – a renowned healthcare organization – eager to utilize his abilities and make a valuable contribution to the nation’s medical community.
However, his hope was shattered when the council deactivated the verification portal.
He asserted that he had accomplished a sequence of tests and successfully tackled the intricate procedure for document verification, with only obtaining his pin as an authorized nurse from the authentication portal left to do.
With a strong desire to resolve the matter, he made contact with NMCN, seeking aid. Yet their policy prevented any additional verification on the closed portal.
According to its policies, the UK Trust terminated his employment because he was unable to meet the certification criteria.
“The situation is both distressing and detrimental to my career. The closure of the portal has led to a stagnation in my professional growth,” he stated. “Currently, I am residing in Nigeria and have repeatedly approached the nursing council with regard to obtaining a letter of good standing. Although I emphasized that its acknowledgement would be greatly appreciated, all these attempts proved unsuccessful.”
Despite the withdrawal of the court case against the council regarding verification process, the portal continues to be closed. This has impacted individuals who chose not to voice their concerns earlier. It is anticipated that a significant number of nurses will either contemplate suicide or seek new opportunities in this country over the upcoming weeks.
Expressing her worries, a Nigerian nurse residing in the UK who preferred to be identified as Ovie raised concerns that she would not qualify for registration as a nurse without completing verification. She expressed disappointment at this situation which left her feeling uncertain about what lies ahead.
As a registered nurse from Nigeria, I relocated to the UK in February of this year to enroll in a nursing top-up program aimed at attaining registration as a UK-qualified nurse. My primary objective was initially centered on finalizing my verification process during studies; thereby enabling me secure part-time employment opportunities as a means to support tuition fees and cater for daily expenses.
Regrettably, the verification process for nurses was suspended by NMCN just before my arrival. This suspension has hindered me from proceeding with my registration.
Initially thought to be a short-term maintenance problem, the situation has now stretched into several months of ambiguity without any definite resumption timeline for the verification process. This implies that planning my studies, career goals and staying in the UK have become problematic tasks.
She explained that the suspension of the verification process has major consequences for her. Failure to complete verification means she’s unable to obtain registration as a nurse in the UK, which limits employment options and financially affects her ability to support herself. This situation creates uncertainty regarding future prospects as studies draw towards completion.
Due to the delay in her verification, the nurse expressed concern about being deported.
“My student visa is going to expire soon, and if I am unable to work as a nurse, there’s a possibility that either I’ll have to go back to Nigeria or find some other way of staying in the UK,” she stated.
A second nurse, who also requested anonymity due to concerns of intimidation, shared that her love for nursing brought her to the UK; however, she encountered unexpected roadblocks. Similarly to others in the field, she is currently grappling with challenges presented by the closure of a verification portal.
She was unable to schedule her CBT due to the closure, leaving her stuck in limbo without it.
She said that she visited the UK last year (not in her capacity as a registered nurse) and successfully cleared her English test this January. However, due to the verification portal’s recent closure, she has been unable to take a computer-based exam required for further progress.
Hannah, a nurse in Saudi Arabia, disclosed that she had embarked on her nursing career there in 2023 but faced an uncertain future.
Hannah expressed a sense of frustration and despair as her life is overshadowed by the imminent threat of deportation.
According to Michael Nnachi, President of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, in his conversation with our correspondent, the group has presented a number of demands to the government. Among these is included reopening of the portal.
Recently, a committee was formed to scrutinize the ongoing discussions observed by him.
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Without a positive response, it’s hard to say what the next step will be. Our message signals our government engagement and I believe there’s hope on the horizon, though an exact date is uncertain – perhaps tomorrow or in days ahead. It’s best not to go beyond authorized statements at this time.
My recommendation to the impacted members would be to maintain their composure. We are earnestly worried about the challenges they have encountered and unsettled by this situation. Nonetheless, it is crucial for them to exercise patience currently. Additionally, it’s noteworthy that quite often when resolutions are made with authorities in charge, their commitments fall short of expectations; nevertheless, I cling on optimism and anticipate a constructive reaction from our governing body- let us stay hopeful!
Abubakar Shehu, the Deputy National President of the association, expressed his discontent regarding the tardiness in initiating the verification portal.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, he stated that the matter of this portal involves numerous complexities. Furthermore, healthcare professionals from Nigeria are migrating to other countries not exclusively nurses; such as doctors, pharmacists and lab scientists. Thus, the focus solely on nursing raises questions for our community.”
Several meetings were conducted with the Registrar of NMCN, as well as a meeting at the Ministry of Health with their Minister. During this encounter, it was emphasized that we are essential stakeholders who should have been involved in discussions before deciding to close down the portal thoroughly. Engaging us would have enabled meaningful and productive engagements. Numerous nurses and midwives remain unemployed out there; hence preventing them from seeking better opportunities elsewhere is unfair considering no employment has been provided for them locally either.. Such actions do not warrant condonation under any circumstances whatsoever.
However, according to Shehu, the NMCN registrar recently made a promise that the portal will be opened soon.
“We are anticipating the opening of the portal, as assured by the registrar. The assurance was given last week,” he stated.
Efforts to reach Faruk Abubakar, the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, were unsuccessful. Calls went unanswered and text messages elicited no response from him.
On August 28, Nnachi made an appeal to the Federal Government requesting for the reopening of its members’ credentials verification portal. In response, Abubakar reassured that a resolution would be reached on the misunderstanding within nurses and midwives circle soon.
Although the council does not oppose any member of NANNM relocating to any part of the globe, our sole concern remains that Nigeria upholds dignity in operation.
“The process of reopening the verification portal must follow due procedure.”
Abubakar said that numerous letters, including one from the National Assembly, regarding the matter had been received and they were in the process of addressing all concerns to ensure reopening of the portal.
CSOs provide their input
Debo Adeniran, the President of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, criticized the government’s actions in limiting Nigerians’ opportunities abroad and impeding their progress.
According to Adeniran, it is unfair for the government to prevent our citizens from achieving their goals when we have ample resources that could be utilized in this country if only people were motivated. Instead of discouraging individuals from pursuing opportunities abroad, the government should encourage them and support both those receiving training here and those who are providing education. This will improve the quality of education provided while creating more chances for growth beyond borders.
At one point, the government considered requiring individuals to sign a service bond before leaving Nigeria; however, it appears this proposal was not carried out. Although there is widespread condemnation of our educational system in Nigeria, evidence suggests that we are actually surpassing many Western nations because Nigerian graduates remain successful in securing highly desirable job opportunities abroad. Consequently, it can be concluded that our level of education attainment is held in high regard within Western societies.
He urged the government to provide backing for Nigerians residing abroad who are portraying a positive image of their country.
