Verification Portal Shutdown Leaves Hundreds of Nigerian Nurses in Limbo
Rewritten Article: Hundreds of Nigerian nurses are stranded both at home and abroad due to the continued closure of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) verification portal. This has halted the verification of nursing certificates, a critical step for nurses seeking to work or study overseas.
Nursing boards in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the U.K. have stopped accepting certificates from Nigerian nurses because their authenticity cannot be verified. The National Assembly has urged the NMCN to reopen the portal and revert to its previous guidelines pending an investigation, but the council has yet to comply.
The crisis began in February 2024 when the NMCN introduced revised guidelines for certificate verification, requiring two years of post-qualification experience and a letter of good standing from employers, among other conditions. The new policy sparked protests from nurses who argued that the guidelines are restrictive and infringe on their rights.
The Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria (GNAN) and other groups have been negotiating with the NMCN to resolve the issue, but many nurses remain stranded, with some facing deportation from countries like the U.K. and Canada. In response, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government to address their demands, including the reopening of the portal and better working conditions, or face industrial action.
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