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The Federal Government has unveiled a new strategic plan to strengthen Nigeria’s nursing and midwifery workforce, improve healthcare delivery, and fast-track progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, announced this on Thursday in Abuja during the Nursing Summit and the launch of the Nigerian Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery (NSDNM) 2025–2030.
The summit, themed “Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery Services in Nigeria for Universal Health Coverage through Implementation of NSDNM,” convened policymakers, professional bodies, development partners, and health sector stakeholders to discuss reforms and investments in the nursing and midwifery profession.
Professor Pate described nurses and midwives as “the backbone of Nigeria’s healthcare system”, emphasizing their central role in service delivery and community health outcomes.
He said the new strategy provides clear priorities to improve education, career development, leadership, and workforce retention over the next five years.
“It is a practical guide that will shape reforms, investments, and innovations in nursing and midwifery while positioning Nigeria as a global contributor to resilient health systems,” he said.
The minister disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved fast-track recruitment waivers for federal health institutions, allowing nearly 20,000 new hires, 60 per cent of whom would be nurses and midwives.
Pate, however, stressed that training and motivation alone were insufficient, calling for a supportive working environment equipped with modern tools, infrastructure, and resources.
“No matter how passionate or skilled you are, without adequate infrastructure, medical supplies and tools, it becomes difficult to deliver high-quality patient care,” he noted.
The Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Ndagi Alhassan, highlighted that while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:4, Nigeria still struggles to meet this standard.
He said annual nurse production has grown from 23,000 to over 115,000, but many qualified professionals remain unemployed due to limited job openings.
To address this, Alhassan explained, the council introduced the Community Nursing and Midwifery Programme, which allows communities to sponsor trainees and commit to employing them upon graduation.
“This ensures that skilled professionals return to underserved areas and strengthen local health systems,” he said.
He appealed to state governments to absorb trained nurses and midwives into their public health systems and provide them with the necessary support to perform effectively.
Mary Brantuo, Team Lead for Universal Health Coverage at the World Health Organization (WHO), said nurses and midwives make up nearly 50 per cent of the global health workforce but remain critically underrepresented in many regions.
She warned that the global shortfall of nurses and midwives could reach 4.8 million by 2030, with the greatest gaps in Africa and Southeast Asia.
“As of 2020, Nigeria had more than 180,000 registered nurses and 126,000 midwives — that’s about 88 nurses per 100,000 people and one midwife for every 364 women of reproductive age,” Brantuo said.
She noted that the NSDNM 2025–2030 aligns with the WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery (2021–2027), which focuses on four pillars: education, employment, leadership, and service delivery.
“Investing in nursing and midwifery isn’t a cost but a smart investment in health system resilience, gender equity, and broader economic development,” she added.
Koessan Kuawu, Deputy Representative of UNFPA Nigeria, said the agency has long advocated for midwife-led care, noting that trained midwives can deliver up to 90 per cent of essential health services.
Citing UNFPA data, he said Nigeria needs at least 70,000 additional midwives by 2030 to meet WHO recommendations.
“UNFPA is partnering with the Nursing Council to train more midwives and improve regulation. Every dollar invested in midwife-led care yields a return of sixteen dollars,” Kuawu said.
On her part, Senator Ipalibo Banigo, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, pledged continued legislative support for initiatives that strengthen nursing education, professional regulation, and access to quality healthcare.
“The Senate recognises the critical role of nurses and midwives in achieving national health goals. We will continue to back policies that enhance their training, welfare, and practice across Nigeria,” she said.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NSDNM 2025–2030 aligns with the WHO’s global vision to help nurses and midwives contribute more effectively to universal health coverage and improved population health outcomes.
The document outlines key priorities including:
It also seeks to ensure that nurses and midwives are empowered, respected, and supported to deliver quality healthcare services, especially in underserved areas.
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