The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called for urgent action from government at all levels to stem the tide of nurses migration from the country yearly.
The President of NANNM, Mr Haruna Mamman made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, to commemorate the 2026 international day of nurses celebrated annualóly on 12 May.
He said that the call was also made in celebration of Florence Nightingale birthday, whom, he described as the founder of modern day nursing.
Mamman said that the International Council of Nurses (ICN), a global body of nurses has announced the theme for the 2026 nurses day as ‘Our nurses, our future, empowered nurses save lives’.
The NANNM President explained that the theme emphasised the urgent need to invest in and empower the nursing workforce through safe working condition and leadership opportunities, highlighting their essential role in global health resilience.
He said that the 2026 theme of the international day of the nurses had significant and salient areas and called for actions that needed to be addressed.
Mamman said that the theme highlighted that for nurses to maximise their life saving impact, they must have the authority and resources to deliver high-quality, person-centered primary care.
He said that the theme called for structural change as it served as a directive for governments to move beyond recognition and take action to eliminate barriers, ensuring nurses could use their full knowledge and skills.
‘The theme promotes investment in safe, fair working environments mental well-being, and education for nurses.
‘The theme resonate continued strategic focus, building on the 2024 (“Economic power of care”) and 2025 (“caring for nurses strengthens economic”)’.
‘The 2026 theme shift focus to the tangle, high-impact role nurses hold in making health systems effective and resilient’, Mamman said.
He also said that it was on record that Nigeria nurses and midwives were among the best across the world.
According to him, Nigeria- 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 Nigeria nurses have migrated to the United kingdom.
‘For the past five years, over 57, 000 Nigeria nurses have left the country to different parts of the world in search of greener pastures.
‘This should call for greater concern from both the government and other stakeholders’.
He noted that many nurses wished to stay and work in Nigeria, but for the push factors which included poor remuneration, poor working conditions, kidnapping/insecurity, non-career progression and lack of job opportunities.
The NANNM President however, called on government and other critical stakeholders to address all these issues, while saluting the hardworking nurses to keep on doing their best.
He said that the leadership of NANNM would continue to engage with governments and other relevant stakeholders for nurses and midwives welfare.
The association National Secretary, Dr Thomas Shettima, stated that NANNM have had so many engagement with government especially on the general welfare of nurses and midwives, and would continue in that direction.
He said that government was also doing everything humanly possible to encourage the nurses and midwives.
‘We are not always pleased to go on strike because we know the implication to the healthcare system in the country’, Shettima said.
