Despite Nigeria’s critical shortage of healthcare workers, over 10,000 trained nurses and midwives remain unemployed, according to data collated by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
This alarming revelation comes at a time when the country is grappling with a severe healthcare crisis, marked by inadequate staffing, delayed medical procedures, and overwhelming patient demands.
The NANNM confirmed that state councils across the country provided lists of unemployed nurses.
As of early September, the number surpassed 10,000, with ongoing efforts to compile more data.
Nigeria’s healthcare system is currently facing a shortage of professionals, which has caused significant strain on medical services.
Patients frequently experience delayed treatments, postponed surgeries, and a general decline in healthcare delivery.
Experts attribute the workforce gap to poor working conditions, inadequate salaries, limited career advancement opportunities, and the growing security challenges that have driven many health workers out of the system.
Moreover, the Nursing and Midwifery Council reports that a staggering 3,173 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives were licensed to practice in the United Kingdom between April 2023 and March 2024.
This highlights the impact of the “japa” syndrome, where skilled professionals leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad.
Meanwhile, the unemployed nurses in Nigeria face hurdles such as bureaucratic hiring processes, a lack of available positions, and minimal government support in integrating new graduates into the healthcare workforce.
This irony of surplus qualified healthcare workers in a sector desperate for more hands has become a critical concern.
Speaking with The Punch, NANNM’s Deputy National President, Abubakar Shehu, expressed deep frustration over the government’s failure to address the issue.
He noted that while the country complains of healthcare worker shortages, thousands of qualified professionals remain without jobs.
“People keep saying there is a shortage of healthcare workers, but there are thousands of nurses and midwives that are unemployed,”
Shehu said.
“We asked each state council to compile a list of unemployed nurses, and as of September, the number was over 10,000.
We plan to submit this list to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and hope the government will act by directing medical directors to hire.”
The association has called on policymakers to create more job opportunities, improve working conditions, and streamline the hiring process to ensure that trained professionals are promptly absorbed into the system.
Advocates argue that with rising patient demands, the need for qualified nurses and midwives is more urgent than ever.
For many nurses, the situation is bleak. Nasiru Abdulsamad, a registered nurse in Kano, shared his struggles since graduating in 2023. “I’ve applied to six health institutions, but I haven’t had any success.
It’s disheartening to have the skills and knowledge but not be able to use them. If the opportunity arises, I will leave the country because it feels like nobody cares,” Abdulsamad lamented.
He also highlighted the financial burden on applicants.
Earlier this year, Kano State advertised 25 job openings in a hospital, attracting over 800 applicants who were required to pay N3,000 each for application forms. “Just think of the profit from that,” he said.
“If the government really wants to help, they need to take action to strengthen our healthcare system.”
In Lagos, another unemployed nurse, Tobi, shared her frustrations over the intense competition for jobs. “I’ve applied to hospitals and clinics, but most positions are filled before I even get a chance.
The system seems overwhelmed,” she said, adding that she spends her time volunteering and taking online courses to stay active.
Both Abdulsamad and Tobi echoed a growing sentiment of disillusionment among unemployed healthcare workers, who feel abandoned by a government that has yet to address the mismatch between available jobs and qualified professionals.
Shehu stressed that if the government takes concrete steps to improve employment opportunities and conditions for nurses, many of them would choose to stay and serve in the country.
“We have the workforce. If the government employs and takes care of the workforce, they will remain in the country,” he said.
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