Abuja nurses protest new certificate verification guidelines

The Nigeria and Midwifery Council of Nigeria’s (NMCN) new verification certification requirements have sparked protests by nurses operating under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Abuja branch.

This is as the nurses expressed displeasure over what they described as “an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities.”

The nurses and midwives were at the NMCN office singing and displaying their placards around the premises on Monday.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “Address unemployment among nurses, address quackery, address nurses welfare, and “#No to verification rules.”

Another one reads: “Stop frustrating the Nigerian nurses; we are going through a lot already; protect nurses; protect healthcare; NMCN; we say no to the verification rules; NMCN; don’t reduce nurses.”

Persecondnews had reported that the NMCN, on February 9, 2024, unveiled revised guidelines and requirements for the verification of certificate(s) with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for practice abroad.

The move, according to a circular signed by the Registrar of the Council, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, is to curtail the ongoing emigration of Nigerian nurses and midwives abroad.

The circular reads: “A non-refundable fee per application shall be paid for verification by foreign boards of nursing as specified on the portal. This shall cover the cost of courier services to the applicant’s institution(s) of training, place of work, and foreign board.

“Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing license. Any application with a provisional license shall be rejected outright.

“The council shall request a letter of good standing from the chief executive officer of the applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institution attended, and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, NMCN.”

The council also stated that applicants must have active practicing licenses with a minimum of six months to the expiration date, and processing of verification applications would take a minimum of six months.

It added that the implementation of the guidelines takes effect on March 1, 2024.