No fewer than 16,156 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives have been licensed to practise in the United Kingdom between 2017 and September 30, 2025, our correspondent reports.
This figure is based on the latest data from the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council register, obtained exclusively by our correspondent on Wednesday.
The figure highlights a significant trend in the brain drain of the healthcare workforce trained in Nigeria, a trend now known as japa, seeing skilled professionals leaving for countries that offer better remuneration, career advancement, and working conditions.
The migration of healthcare workers poses a serious challenge to Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly in underserved areas, and underscores the need for urgent policies to retain healthcare workers and strengthen domestic capacity.
The NMC is the regulatory body in the UK responsible for registering qualified professionals and investigating concerns related to nurses, midwives, and nursing associates.
In an email correspondence with our correspondent, the NMC stated, “As on 30 September 2025, there were 16,156 nurses on the register who were educated in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, as of March 31, 2025, the number of Nigerian-trained nurses was 15,421, representing a 4.8 per cent rise over the six months.
The report released in March showed that Nigeria ranked as the third-highest source of foreign-trained nurses in the UK, behind the Philippines and India
It also noted that a decline in international recruitment was observed across countries, including the top three: India, the Philippines, and Nigeria.
The report added that while the number of UK-educated professionals joining the NMC register has continued to increase, the pace has been too slow to compensate for the drop in international recruitment. As a result, overall register growth has slowed in the past year.
Also, the 2025 Nigeria Health Statistics report, released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in November, showed that a total of 43,221 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and medical laboratory scientists left the country between 2023 and 2024.
The report revealed that as of 2024, over 23,000 Nigerian nurses and midwives migrated abroad in search of better employment opportunities and improved working conditions.
The preferred destinations for the nurses and midwives were the United States (8,613), the United Kingdom (7,463), Canada (5,603), Saudi Arabia (1,231), and Ireland (989).
According to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, “Our Doctor-to-Population Ratio is 1:5,000 (against the WHO recommendation of 1:600), while Nurse-to-Population Ratio is as low as 1:2,000 (against the WHO recommendation of 1:300).
Salako, however, said the government remained committed to addressing these gaps by strengthening primary healthcare systems, expanding the Health Workforce Registry, increasing the training quota for health professionals, and implementing retention policies to mitigate migration.
The Member, representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has enjoined his Constituents and Nigerians, to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice, forgiveness, hope, patience, humility and love for humanity as exemplified by Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the real essence of Easter Celebration.
In a statement personally signed by the Legislator, he called on his Constituents and the Christian Community in Nigeria to demonstrate Christ-like virtues of love for humanity, hope for a better future, peaceful and harmonious disposition in their dealings with one another for a United Ukwa Federal Constituency and indeed Nigeria, where brotherly love reigns amongst Citizens.
He maintained that despite the prevailing temporary economic difficulties; there is light at the end of the tunnel and strong hope for a better, improved and secured economy within a short period of time.
Hon. Nkwonta, wished everyone a hitch free and joyous Easter Celebration!
The Rivers State Police Command has declared that the tragic death of a 26-year-old lady, Peace Moses, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, was not reported in any of its divisions or units across the state.
Peace was knocked down last Monday evening by a convoy of about 15 fast-moving vehicles around Omega Junction along Ada-George Road in Port Harcourt.
She was returning from an evening service at her church, Love Channel Christian Centre, also located along Ada-George Road, when the tragic incident occurred.
Last Thursday, a candlelight procession was organised in her honour by her friends and neighbours.
Speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), wondered why neighbours could not report the incident to the Police.
Iringe-Koko stated that even the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Rumuepirikom Police Division was unaware of the tragic incident.
“Probably they didn’t report any such incident to the Police Station because the DPO in charge of that area is asking me where and when the incident occurred.
See, if they don’t report cases to the Police, how would the Police know? We are not magicians. I just spoke with the DPO, and she said she is not aware of anything like that.
“Somebody needs to report or anyhow, information needs to get through so that we too will get it,” she said.
But reacting to the claim by the Police, a human rights lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu, said that, with or without a report on the tragic incident, the Police are duty-bound to investigate the matter.
Nsirimovu said: “The duty of the Nigerian police is to secure lives and properties, and where a life has been lost in such grievous circumstances, the police have a duty to investigate the matter on the basis of their mandate and the public need to prevent such a menace to human life.
“The Police have a duty to investigate the matter, with or without a petition.”
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, on Sunday said many Nigerians might seek a constitutional amendment to allow President Bola Tinubu to remain in office beyond two terms.
The monarch, in a congratulatory message by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Alli, to celebrate Tinubu’s 74th birthday, described the President as a decisive leader who has laid a renewed foundation of hope for the country.
“Many Nigerians may beg for a constitutional review for Tinubu to spend more than two terms in office. He is a leader who knows what he is doing,” he said.
Oluwo said the President had distinguished himself through what he described as a firm campaign against illegalities that had stalled the country’s economic growth.
He added that the President’s administrative prowess had driven notable gains, citing improvements in the naira, a rise in foreign reserves from about $1bn to between $49.5bn and $50.45bn as of late February/March 2026, and strengthened economic indices.
The monarch attributed the gains to structural reforms, including exchange rate unification, increased oil output and higher foreign investment inflows.
Oluwo also commended Tinubu for granting local government autonomy, increasing allocations to states, expanding road infrastructure and improving palliative distribution at the grassroots.
According to him, past leaders attempted similar economic reforms but were overwhelmed by public and political pressure.
He said only a capable leader could implement tough but necessary decisions to reposition the economy.
Oluwo added that the President’s policies had begun to impact the standard of living, noting that the next phase would be stability.
He said, “You are not yet a capable leader until you make decisions and stand by them. Many past presidents attempted to remove obstacles to economic prosperity but were overrun by public outcries. Tinubu has demonstrated uncommon leadership through reforms.
“Nigeria’s foreign reserves have increased to over $49.5bn from about $1bn. Local government autonomy is taking effect, states earn more, and road projects, including Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Sokoto-Badagry, are ongoing.”