Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has pledged to support the training of more qualified nurses to address the country’s worsening shortage of healthcare professionals.
The commitment was made after the Council’s resource verification visit to Iconic Open University, Sokoto State, to assess its capacity to run a Bachelor of Nursing Science programme.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the university’s registrar, Dr Muhammad Sanusi, said the Council reviewed the university’s human and material resources and expressed satisfaction with its investment in Open and Distance Learning (ODL).
“The Council pledged to encourage such efforts by ensuring that all standards are met so that the programme and its trainees receive the quality training, skills, and recognition they deserve,” Sanusi said.
The Council’s support comes amid Nigeria’s deepening nursing brain drain. In February 2024, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives estimated that over 42,000 nurses had left the country in three years, leaving hospitals severely understaffed.
Sanusi said the Council’s collaboration with universities will help rebuild the country’s depleted workforce.
“This partnership will improve the quality and number of nurses available to meet national health needs,” he said.
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