The Federal Government has announced an increase in the number of nursing students enrolled across the country from 28,000 to an unprecedented 115,000 annually.
This is part of the government’s strategic efforts to close the growing healthcare workforce gap.
This was disclosed by the Federal Ministry of Education in a press statement released on April 28, 2025.
The Ministry described the development as a “groundbreaking leap for Nigeria’s healthcare and education sectors,” noting that the enrollment growth marks a key achievement to strengthen healthcare education.
“Annual nursing enrollment has surged from 28,000, as it was on May 28th, 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, led-administration was inaugurated, to an unprecedented 115,000 as a result of Mr. President’s initiative,” the statement read.
Backstory
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) recently disclosed that more than 75,000 nurses and midwives have left the country in the past five years in search of better opportunities abroad.
Michael Nnachi, the President of NANNM, stated that poor wages and inadequate working conditions are key drivers behind this mass exodus.
“The shortage of nurses and midwives, especially in specialized fields and certain geographical regions, has been exacerbated by a high attrition rate. This, coupled with a severe lack of adequate compensation for increased workloads, has left many healthcare providers overburdened and vulnerable to health hazards, compromising the quality of care,” Nnachi explained.
In addition to the nursing shortage, the Vice President of NANNM, Israel Blessing, highlighted a significant gap in midwifery services. The 2021 State of the World’s Midwifery report indicated that Nigeria faces a shortfall of approximately 30,000 midwives, with only a fraction of the required workforce likely to be trained by 2030. The shortage is particularly dire in northern Nigeria, where maternal and reproductive healthcare needs are most critical.
Focus on STEMM education
The Ministry linked the progress to the government’s emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM).
It explained that both the Federal Ministries of Education and Health & Social Welfare, led by Dr. Alausa and Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, respectively, worked collaboratively towards the target.
“The administration set out a target of 110,000 nursing students under the leadership of Dr. Alausa and Professor Pate, but annual enrollment has surged to 115,000,” the statement read.
- The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, credited the role of stakeholders such as industry leaders, the Nigerian Council of Nurses and Midwifery, teaching hospitals, and nursing institutions in achieving the milestone.
- The Minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to revitalizing the healthcare and education sectors under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The increased enrollment, the Ministry added, represents a “significant capacity signing and transformative era for nursing education in Nigeria,” positioning the country to meet both domestic and international demands for trained healthcare professionals.
What you should know
Lagos State government last week disclosed that it is facing a severe shortage of medical personnel, with the state requiring an additional 33,000 doctors and 33,000 nurses to meet the healthcare demands of its rapidly growing population.
- Currently, Lagos has only 7,000 doctors serving an estimated 30 million residents, a far cry from the optimal number needed for effective healthcare delivery.
- Nairametrics reported that the federal government imposed a restriction on leave of absence for healthcare professionals seeking to move overseas. Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health, stated that this action was adopted to counteract the phenomenon of brain drain in the health
The minister explained that the challenge had been that many health professionals who applied for leave of absence would travel outside the country to practice and make money, yet their names would still be on the payroll of the government. This, he said, would make space for those who wish to serve within the country.
