MORE than 15,421 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives have received licenses to practise in the United Kingdom between April 2017 and March 31, 2025, reflecting a growing trend of health sector emigration from Africa’s most populous nation.
This is according to the latest data from the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the statutory body responsible for the registration, regulation, and oversight of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates across the United Kingdom.
As of September 30, 2024, the number of Nigerian-trained health professionals on the UK register stood at 14,815. That figure rose to 15,421 by March 31, 2025, indicating a 4.1 per cent increase in just six months.
This development cements Nigeria’s position as the third-largest supplier of foreign-trained nurses to the UK—trailing only behind India and the Philippines, both of which have long-standing nurse export systems that support their economies.
The 2025 NMC register also revealed a noticeable decline in international nurse recruitment. A total of 20,671 foreign-trained professionals joined the UK register for the first time in the past year, a 30.2 per cent drop from 29,628 joiners in the previous year ending March 2024.
The drop was evident across the top three source countries:
India: down 36.7%
Philippines: down 47.6%
Nigeria: down 25.5%
This trend, the NMC noted, coincides with new policy directions in the UK that favour domestic recruitment as outlined in the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, which seeks to boost local training pipelines amid mounting concerns over dependency on foreign-trained health professionals.
According to analysts, the emigration of Nigerian nurses is driven by:
Poor working conditions and pay
Lack of modern equipment and infrastructure
Security concerns
Uncertainty over government policy on healthcare reform
Better earnings and professional advancement opportunities abroad
“The sharp decline in new Nigerian entrants over the past year suggests that even as the UK becomes more selective, Nigerian nurses continue to see migration as an escape from a broken system,” said a Lagos-based health economist, commenting on the new figures.
The mass migration of trained medical professionals—doctors, nurses, and pharmacists—has placed significant strain on Nigeria’s underfunded healthcare sector.
The World Health Organization has repeatedly warned of the brain drain crisis affecting many African countries, including Nigeria, where the doctor-to-patient ratio is far below the recommended threshold.
According to local nursing bodies, Nigeria is struggling to retain nurses even after costly training, with many applying for UK NMC registration immediately after graduation or one year of experience.
Interestingly, the NMC report highlights a demographic shift in the age of new joiners to the register:
Over 50% of new entrants in 2024/2025 were aged 31 and above.
Among international recruits, 58.3% were aged between 31 and 50.
Among UK-based recruits, there’s also a rise in joiners aged 31 or older—46.5% this year, up from 37% five years ago.
While the UK continues to benefit from international inflows, retention is becoming a challenge.
A total of 5,276 international professionals left the UK NMC register during the past year — a 33.3% rise from the previous year’s 3,959 leavers. Although this is only 2.7% of the international workforce, the NMC notes it’s a marginal but noteworthy increase, partly influenced by:
Expiring Health and Care Worker visas
Cost of living concerns in the UK
Professionals seeking better opportunities in countries like Canada, Australia, and the US
The NMC data also reveals that ethnic minorities now make up 32.5% of its register, up from 30.6% a year ago.
“This makes it more important than ever that professionals can practise in an environment that values diversity and tackles racism,” the council stated, urging NHS employers and regulators to ensure inclusiveness, fairness, and equity across the board.
The steady rise in Nigerian-trained nurses joining the UK register is both a boon for the UK’s healthcare system and a blow to Nigeria’s.
While the UK appears to be shifting its recruitment focus domestically, the allure of better wages and structured career progression will likely continue to attract Nigerian healthcare workers, despite efforts by the Nigerian government to stem the tide.
As one health expert observed, “The numbers may drop, but the push-and-pull factors remain firmly in place. Without genuine reform, Nigeria will continue to train for export.”