A group of nurses in Nigeria has filed a lawsuit against the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and the Minister of Health, among others, regarding the new certificate verification guidelines. The NMCN issued a circular on February 7, 2024, revising the guidelines for requesting certificate verification for nurses and midwives.
According to the council, applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards and councils must have two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing license. These new guidelines came into effect on March 1, 2024.
In response to the guidelines, nurses in Abuja and Lagos held protests demanding the reversal of the new rules. However, some dissatisfied nurses, on behalf of their colleagues, have taken the matter to the National Industrial Court in Abuja. They have named the Registrar of the NMCN, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Attorney General of the Federation as defendants in the case, which is marked NICN/ABJ/76/2024.
The nurses are seeking an interlocutory order from the court to prevent the defendants or their agents from implementing the NMCN circular until the determination of the lawsuit. They are also requesting the court suspend the commencement of the new guidelines.
The reliefs sought by the nurses include restraining the defendants from hindering or infringing on the constitutional rights and freedom of nurses and midwives in Nigeria to seek better career opportunities and training abroad. They are also requesting that the NMCN continue to carry out certificate verification for applicants within seven days of the application.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Ode Evans, the complainant’s attorney, told the court that he had recently received the first and second defendants’ preliminary objections. He requested an adjournment to allow him time to reply to their applications.
