Nigerian Nurses Sue NMCN Over Controversial Circular, Seek N5 Million Compensation

Nigerian nurses have taken legal action against the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) due to its recent circular mandating certificate verification for nurses and midwives applying to foreign nursing boards or councils.

Naija News reports that the circular distributed by the NMCN Registrar, on February 7, 2024, has generated diverse reactions among stakeholders.

The controversial circular, among other things, mandates eligible applicants to possess at least two years of post-qualification experience and permanent practising licenses. It also requires letters of Good Standing from employers and previous nursing training institutions to be sent directly to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria Registrar/CEO.

In response, aggrieved nurses represented by the Incorporated Trustees of University Graduates of Nursing Science Association have filed a suit in a Federal High Court in Enugu seeking legal clarification on the directive.

The plaintiffs’ counsel, Barr Chijioke Ezeh, filed suit No FHC/E/CS/22/2024.

The plaintiffs seek a declaration that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) lacks the authority to issue directives that contradict the dissolved Board of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

They also request the cancellation of all directives outlined in the circular dated February 7, 2024, as well as a perpetual injunction restraining the NMCN from issuing further directives that contravene relevant laws.

The nurses are seeking general and aggravated damages amounting to five million Naira (₦5,000,000.00) for the strictures and discomfitures they have faced, with no hearing date set for the suit yet.