Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - The President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Haruna Mamman, has raised an alarm over the growing migration of Nigerian nurses abroad, warning that the trend is threatening the country’s already fragile healthcare system.
Mamman spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during the 2026
International Nurses Day celebration held at the NANNM Conference Hall, where
he lamented the worsening “brain drain” in the nation’s health sector.
According to him, more than 57,000 Nigerian nurses left the
country in the past five years in search of better opportunities overseas,
while about 16,000 had migrated to the United Kingdom alone as of December
2025.
“It is on record that Nigerian nurses and midwives are among
the best across the world.
“Nigeria-trained nurses and midwives are migrating in droves
to other countries in search of better lives,” Mamman said.
He added, “For the past five years, over 57,000 Nigerian
nurses have left the country for different parts of the world in search of
greener pastures. This should call for greater concern from both the Government
and other stakeholders.”
The NANNM president attributed the mass migration to what he
described as “push factors,” including poor remuneration, harsh working
conditions, insecurity, lack of career progression and limited job
opportunities.
“Many nurses wish to stay and work in Nigeria, but the ‘push
factors,’ which include poor remuneration, poor working conditions,
kidnapping/insecurity, non-career progression, lack of job opportunities, etc.,
keep pushing them to leave the country,” he said.
Nigeria has continued to grapple with a major healthcare
workforce crisis in recent years, as doctors, nurses and other medical
professionals increasingly relocate to countries such as the United Kingdom,
Canada, the United States and Saudi Arabia for improved welfare packages and
safer work environments.
The development has placed additional pressure on Nigeria’s
overstretched health system, particularly in rural and underserved communities
where shortages of skilled health workers have worsened access to quality
healthcare.
Data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of the United
Kingdom has consistently shown Nigeria among the leading sources of
foreign-trained nurses registering to practice in the UK.
Health experts have repeatedly warned that the continuous
loss of trained professionals could weaken service delivery and increase the
burden on the few healthcare workers remaining in the country.
Speaking on the theme of the 2026 International Nurses Day,
“Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” Mamman said the
celebration underscored the urgent need for governments to invest in nurses
through better welfare, safe workplaces and leadership opportunities.
He noted that the theme was a direct call for structural
reforms aimed at empowering nurses to deliver quality and person-centred care.
“The theme highlights that for nurses to maximise their
life-saving impact, they must have the authority and resources to deliver
high-quality, person-centred primary care,” he said.
He also stressed the need for improved mental well-being,
fair working conditions and continuous professional education for nurses across
the country.
The NANNM president urged the Federal Government and
relevant stakeholders to urgently address the conditions driving health
professionals out of Nigeria, warning that failure to act could further
endanger the nation’s healthcare delivery system.
“The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives,
therefore, uses this opportunity to call on the government and other critical
stakeholders to address all these issues,” he said.
Despite the challenges facing the profession, Mamman praised
Nigerian nurses for their resilience and commitment to patient care.
“Today is not just for celebration. It is a day to reflect
on the care, sacrifices, advocacy, hope, and relief you offer to Nigerians.
“Oftentimes, you do a lot, and your work is not appreciated.
You are always the first and last person to attend to a patient,” he said.
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