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.
- +Nurses’ migration threatens Nigeria’s fragile health system — NANNM President
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.
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.
