UK Probes 1,955 Nigerian Nurses Over Exam Fraud Scandal

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of the United Kingdom has indicted 1,238 Nigerian nurses and midwives in connection with an exam fraud scandal at the Nigeria-based Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Additionally, 717 more nurses are currently under investigation, bringing the total number of affected professionals to 1,955.

The council confirmed this in an exclusive email correspondence with a reporter of The Punch newspaper, revealing that the scandal stemmed from irregular testing patterns detected at the Ibadan centre. The UK Home Office has already taken action, with some Nigerian nurses under investigation being asked to leave the country.

The NMC launched its probe into the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in 2023 after receiving an alert about unusual data from the site. A thorough analysis of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) results—which is one of two requirements for foreign-trained nurses to register in the UK—showed highly improbable completion times, raising concerns of widespread fraud.

According to The Punch, the council found that test-takers at Yunnik were passing the exam in record time, a stark contrast to candidates at other centres in Nigeria and globally.

According to the NMC, four distinct groups were identified in the scandal: 48 Registered nurses whose CBT completion times strongly indicate fraud, 669 nurses seeking UK registration whose CBT results strongly indicate fraud, 467 registered nurses whose CBTs were invalidated but no fraud was proven and 771 nuses seeking registration whose CBTs were invalidated due to insufficient fraud evidence.

“All affected individuals will be given the opportunity to obtain a new, valid CBT result, with our test provider, Pearson VUE, covering the exam fee,” the NMC stated.

The council noted that groups three and four would be allowed to continue their registration process once they passed a fresh CBT. However, for groups one and two, retaking the test does not guarantee they will remain on, or join, the register.

The UK Home Office has revoked the visas of some affected nurses, even as they await the outcome of their appeals. The NMC confirmed that as of the time of filing this report, 183 applications have been refused for failing to meet character requirements, nine applications have been approved, nine registration appeals have been concluded—three were successful, six were dismissed and 12 fraudulent entry hearings have been conducted—10 nurses have been removed from the register, while two were cleared.

The NMC acknowledged the distress the regulatory process has caused and assured affected nurses that it was working to resolve cases swiftly and fairly.

“We have a dedicated team in place to progress cases. Where possible, we continue to schedule hearings sooner for individuals who tell us about extenuating circumstances,” the council said.

To assist affected nurses, the NMC has worked with employers to ensure duty of care, provided information through the Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK, collaborated with unions and representative bodies for clear communication.

It has also extended its Careline service for 24/7 emotional and practical support and increased access to safeguarding professionals.