Council Inducts 206 Foreign-trained Nurses

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has inducted 206 foreign-trained nurses who successfully completed the mandatory adaptation programme and passed the Council’s professional examination, officially granting them eligibility to practice in Nigeria.

Speaking during the induction, which marked the Council’s 15th ceremony for foreign-trained nurses, on Thursday in Abuja, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NMCN, Ndagi Alhassan described the event as “historic,” noting that the inductees had fulfilled all requirements for registration and licensure in line with global best practices.

“This achievement qualifies the nurses to be formally enrolled into the register of professional nurses in Nigeria. Each inductee has taken the Oath of Allegiance, pledging to maintain confidentiality and abstain from acts harmful to patients,” he said.

Alhassan congratulated the nurses for their perseverance, as well as their parents, guardians and lecturers who supported them through their training abroad and adaptation programme in Nigeria.

He emphasised the Council’s unwavering commitment to producing highly skilled nurses capable of strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.

A breakdown of the inductees showed that they were trained across 15 countries, including Niger (62), Cameroon (35), Ghana (35), India (22), Cyprus (19), Sudan (9), Philippines (9), Egypt (5), Turkey (2), Liberia (2), Georgia (2), and one each from Ukraine, Kenya, Poland and Uganda.

Their adaptation was conducted across 10 accredited institutions in Nigeria, including the University of Ibadan (32), Bayero University Kano (31), Usman Danfodio University (28), University of Ilorin (22), and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (20), among others.

The registrar reminded the new nurses that although their registration and licensure now qualify them to practice, they must complete a mandatory one-year internship in accredited health facilities within the country.

He also urged them to uphold discipline, humility, compassion and ethical standards, while warning against unprofessional conduct, especially misuse of social media.

Alhassan encouraged the inductees to pursue advanced studies such as Master’s and PhD degrees, noting that continuous learning is crucial for career progression and improving the image of the nursing profession.

Chairman of the induction ceremony, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, charged the newly inducted foreign-trained nurses to prioritise the practical application of the knowledge they acquired abroad, noting that it is the only way their training can have lasting impact on Nigeria’s health sector.