The President of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Haruna Mamman, has warned that the increasing migration of nurses is putting Nigeria’s already fragile health system under serious pressure.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja during the 2026 International Nurses Day celebration, he said the trend of “brain drain” in the health sector is worsening.
He noted that over 57,000 Nigerian nurses have left the country in the past five years, with about 16,000 moving to the United Kingdom alone by 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.”
Mamman attributed the migration to poor pay, difficult working conditions, insecurity, lack of career growth, 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.
He warned that the ongoing exodus is worsening shortages in Nigeria’s healthcare system, especially in rural areas, and called for urgent reforms to improve welfare and working conditions for nurses.
