…says an average nurse earns N135,000 monthly
No fewer than 42,000 nurses and midwives have left Nigeria to work in developed countries within the last three years, 2021 to 2023, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has revealed.
Registrar of the council, Faruk Abubakar who made this known while commenting on the controversy surrounding the nurses’ certificate verification on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Morning Brief, regretted that the number of nurses and midwives leaving Nigeria were increasing every year.
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) had staged a peaceful protest in Abuja and Lagos over the circular issued by NMCN on February 7, 2024, which they insisted was aimed at hindering their freedom to pursue career opportunities. They had asked the council to rather,.address nurses’ welfare, salary scale, shortage of staff, and other rights
While noting that In 2023 only, over 15,000 nurses and midwives left the country for developed nations, Abubakar however maintained that the council’s new guidelines was not targeted at stopping nurses and midwives from relocating abroad in search of greener pastures, but it was protecting Nigeria’s interest because Nigerians have no other country.
He said: “About 42,000 nurses left the country in the last three years. Last year alone, it was over 15,000, the number is increasing year by year.”
Abubakar who further revealed that an average nurse in the country earns not less than N135,000 monthly, however noted that the Federal Ministry of Health was working towards improving the welfare of nurses and midwives,ensure a very conducive working environment.with the provision of state-of-art equipment and instruments, that would not only help medical practitioners provide quality care for Nigerians but also reduce the increasing rate of brain drain in the health sector.
“An average nurse that is engaged receives not less than N135,000, it depends on where they are working. Some of them receive up to N200,000. It depends on where they are working, whether at the national, state, or or local government. I think this is the brief I can tell you.
“I have to say that the FMoH is doing a lot and a committee is now being put by the FMoH to look at all the cases raised by the association on behalf of the nurses all over the country. I believe that will address the issue of welfare and the issue of remuneration they are talking about.
“I want to ensure (you) that within a couple of months, a lot has been integrated and provided in 2024 that will improve the welfare of the nurses that we are talking about.
“There is a lot of progress that is going on to review the salary and nurses are also included in that policy. I think it’s a general phenomenon, all other sectors are also complaining, and the government is doing a lot.”
NMCN, in its revised guidelines, stated that applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards and councils must possess two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practising license.
The circular, signed by the Registrar of the council, Dr Faruk Abubakar, read in part, “A non-refundable fee per application shall be paid for verification to foreign boards of nursing as specified on the portal. This shall cover the cost of courier services to the applicant’s institution(s) of training, place of work, and foreign board.
“Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practising licence. Any application with a provisional licence Any application with a provisional licence shall be rejected outright.”
The council also stated that applicants must have active practising licences with a minimum of six months to the expiration date, and processing of verification applications would take a minimum of six months. It added that the implementation of the guidelines takes effect from March 1, 2024.
