The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives has called for urgent action from government at all levels to stem the tide of nurses migrating from the country yearly.
Its president, Haruna Mamman, made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, to commemorate the 2026 international day of nurses celebrated annualóly on May 12.
He said the call was also made in celebration of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, whom he described as the founder of modern nursing.
Mr Mamman said that the International Council of Nurses, a global body representing nurses, announced the theme for the 2026 Nurses Day as: ‘Our nurses, our future, empowered nurses save lives’.
The NANNM president explained that the theme restated the urgent need to invest in and empower the nursing workforce through safe working conditions and leadership opportunities, highlighting their essential role in global health resilience.
Mr Mamman said that the theme highlighted that for nurses to maximize their life saving impact, they must have the authority and resources to deliver high-quality, person-centered primary care.
Mr Mamman also mentioned that it was on record that Nigerian nurses and midwives were among the best across the world. According to him, Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives are migrating in droves to other countries in search of better lives.
The NANNM president said that as of December 2025, 16,000 Nigerian nurses had migrated to the United Kingdom.
“This should call for greater concern from both the government and other stakeholders,” he noted.
Mr Mamman stated that many nurses wished to stay and work in Nigeria, but push factors included poor remuneration, poor working conditions, kidnapping/insecurity, non-career progression and lack of job opportunities.
The NANNM president however, called on the government and other critical stakeholders to address all these issues while saluting hardworking nurses to keep doing their best.
He said the leadership of NANNM would continue to engage with governments and other relevant stakeholders regarding nurses’ and midwives’ welfare.
(NAN)
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