Nurses React To ₦68,875 Verification Charge: ‘It’s Exploitative’

Nurses React To ₦68,875 Verification Charge: ‘It’s Exploitative’

The reopening of the verification portal by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has sparked mixed reactions. The portal, which had been closed for nearly nine months, is now operational again.

Nurses and midwives have praised the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives for their efforts in ensuring the portal’s reopening. However, they noted that the portal remains inaccessible to newly qualified nurses, with the two-year post-qualification requirement still in place.

The NMCN had previously issued a circular on February 7, 2024, revising the guidelines for requesting certificate verification for nurses and midwives. This followed The PUNCH’s report in December 2023 regarding the portal’s deactivation.

According to the circular, signed by NMCN Registrar Dr. Faruk Abubakar, eligible applicants must have at least two years of post-qualification experience from the date of their permanent practising licence. Applications using a provisional licence will be rejected. It also requires a letter of good standing from the applicant’s employer and nursing training institution, and responses must be sent directly to the NMCN Registrar/CEO. Additionally, applicants must have active practising licences with at least six months before expiration, and processing verification applications would take a minimum of six months.

Jude Chiedu, a Nurse and Fellow of the West African College of Nursing, called for a reduction in the verification fees, describing them as excessive. He argued that with the launch of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools’ (CGFNS) online Credential Transfer Portal (CTP), which streamlines the process for submitting verifications, the ₦68,875 fee should be reduced.

Anthony Ijeoma, a nurse at Nursingworld Nigeria, welcomed the reopening of the portal but expressed concern over the requirement for a letter of good standing from the Head of Nursing at the applicant’s place of employment. Ijeoma pointed out that this requirement creates administrative and financial burdens on nurses, adding that it could lead to delays or even exploitation by employers.

Ijeoma urged the NMCN to reconsider the requirement and explore alternatives to make the verification process less dependent on employers. Another nurse, speaking anonymously, expressed gratitude for the portal’s reopening but stressed that the attached conditions could create unnecessary barriers and should be removed to ensure equal access for all nurses.