In response to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria's (NMCN) directive that Nigerian nurses must accumulate two years of post-qualification work experience before practicing abroad, nurses have expressed strong dissatisfaction.
The NMCN emphasized that foreign nursing boards/councils would only verify certificates after this period. Nurses argue that earning a salary between ₦35,000 to ₦50,000 for two years is impractical and economically burdensome. Many have taken to social media platforms, including Twitter, to voice their concerns and mobilize support against the new regulation.
Hashtags like #NotoNMCNverificationrule are being used to unite nurses in their protest against what they perceive as an unreasonable proposal. Some nurses believe the regulation is a form of modern slavery, an infringement on human rights, and a setback for the nursing profession.
The criticism extends to questioning the competence and intentions of the NMCN, with calls for mass protests scheduled for February 12th at NMCN Yaba.
Nurses argue that the move undermines their efforts to seek better opportunities abroad and adds an unnecessary burden to their already challenging profession. See some reactions below
