A total of 15,421 nurses and midwives trained in Nigeria have obtained licences to practise in the United Kingdom between 2017 and March 31, 2025, according to new data from the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The NMC, which oversees the registration and regulation of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates in the UK, revealed the figures in its latest report, highlighting Nigeria as the third-largest contributor of foreign-trained nursing professionals in the country, following the Philippines and India.
As of September 30, 2024, the number of Nigerian professionals on the UK register stood at 14,815. By the end of March 2025, the figure had risen to 15,421 — marking a 4.1 per cent increase within six months.
The data also showed that 20,671 professionals trained outside the UK joined the NMC register for the first time over the past year.
This reflects a significant drop of 8,957, or 30.2 per cent, from the 29,628 new international entrants recorded the previous year.
The decline in overseas recruitment, according to the report, has affected the top three source countries. Nigeria, the Philippines, and India saw reductions of 25.5 per cent, 47.6 per cent, and 36.7 per cent respectively in new additions to the register over the last 12 months.
In the same period, 5,276 internationally trained professionals left the register — a 33.3 per cent increase from the 3,959 that exited the previous year.
While this represents just 2.7 per cent of the international workforce, up slightly from 2.4 per cent the year before, the NMC noted that some of the departures may be linked to changes in the UK’s Health and Care Worker visa policies.
The council also observed a growing trend of overseas-trained health professionals seeking to move beyond the UK to other countries, motivated largely by the prospect of better pay.
The shift comes amid a stronger push for domestic recruitment under the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan in England.
Despite the rise in locally trained nurses, the report noted that the rate of domestic recruitment has not been fast enough to offset the decline in international entries, leading to a slowdown in the overall growth of the NMC register.
Additionally, the report highlighted a demographic shift within the workforce. For the first time, more than half of the new joiners were aged 31 and above.
Among international entrants alone, 58.3 per cent were between 31 and 50 years old. Similarly, 46.5 per cent of UK-trained joiners in the past six months were aged 31 or older, compared to 37 per cent five years ago.
The proportion of registrants from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds also continued to rise, now making up 32.5 per cent of the NMC register as of March 31, 2025, compared to 30.6 per cent the previous year.
The NMC stressed the need for a professional environment that respects diversity and actively combats discrimination.
“As a regulator, we are committed to ensuring that everyone on our register experiences fair treatment and inclusive practices, regardless of their background,” the report concluded.
