The new certificate verification requirements have led to lawsuits by nurses in the country against the Minister of Health, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, and other parties.
On February 7, 2024, the NMCN published a circular updating its guidelines for obtaining certification verification for midwives and nurses.
According to the council, applicants who want their certifications from foreign nursing boards and councils verified must have two years of post-qualification experience from the day the permanent practice licence was issued.
Nurses in Abuja and Lagos staged protests to call for the reversal of the new guidelines which went into effect on March 1, 2024.
On the other hand, a few disgruntled nurses sued the Attorney General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, and other relevant parties before the National Industrial Court located in Abuja. They did this on behalf of their fellow nurses.
The complainants in the suit marked: NICN/ABJ/ 76/2024, are Desmond Aigbe; Kelvin Ossai; Catherine Olatunji-Kuyoro; Tamunoibi Berry; Osemwengie Osagie; Abiola Olaniyan; Idowu Olabode, and Olumide Olurankinse.
They are pleading with the court to prevent the defendants or their representatives from enforcing the NMCN circular while the lawsuit is being adjudicated.
Additionally, the nurses asked the court to suspend the implementation of the new guidelines.
Ode Evans, the plaintiffs' attorney, informed the court at the hearing on Wednesday that he had only received the first and second defendants' preliminary objections a short while ago.
He pleaded with the judge to postpone the case so he could respond to their applications.
According to Evans, he verified that the application from the first and second defendants was received this morning, stating that they will be requesting a date so they could file for their response.
However, the Judge, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae adjourned the case until May 20 for a hearing by the court.
She ordered that the Attorney General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Health, not represented by counsel in court, get notice of the hearing.
