The National Assembly has urged the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to activate its platform and commence the verification process for Nurses and Midwives in line with the earlier guidelines, rather than the revised guidelines for verification issued on February 7, 2023, until the investigation conducted by the House Committee on Health Institutions is finalized.

This directive was communicated in a letter dated August 13, 2024, entitled “Negative Portrayal of the House’s Resolution,” and signed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sani Magaji Tambuwal.

On July 23, 2024, Hon. Patrick Umoh introduced a motion of urgent national importance concerning the need to safeguard institutional integrity and address any misinterpretation of the House’s Resolution by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. D

uring the presentation of the motion, Umoh reminded the assembly that a previous resolution on February 26, 2024, had directed the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to refrain from implementing the revised Guidelines for Verification dated February 7, 2023, while the investigation by the House remains ongoing.

The legislator indicated that in a letter dated March 13, 2024, which was received on March 14, 2024, the clerk of the national assembly informed the Registrar/CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria about the House's resolution made on February 27, 2024.

He elaborated, stating, “Upon receiving the House's resolution, the council promptly suspended its site for the verification of Nurses and Midwives, and conspicuously and maliciously posted a notice on the site: ‘Verification services suspended in compliance with the directive of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

The House did not, in any way, instruct the Council to close its verification site for Nurses; instead, it merely requested that the council refrain from enforcing its guidelines dated February 7, 2023, while an investigation by the House is underway.”

Concerns have been raised by Nigerians worldwide following the decision of nursing boards in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom to cease accepting nursing certificates from Nigerian Nurses due to issues with verifying their authenticity.