Brain Drain:Association sues for National Retention Strategy

Abuja, Nigeria: The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called for the immediate development and execution of a National Retention Strategy to address the growing brain drain crisis within the country’s nursing and midwifery workforce, popularly linked to the “Japa” phenomenon.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement forum, NANNM National President, Comrade Haruna Mamman, underscored the vital role nurses and midwives play in both the healthcare system and national development. He emphasized that targeted investment in their welfare, training, and career progression is essential for strengthening the health sector and fostering economic growth.

Mamman noted that reversing the current trend of mass migration requires a comprehensive approach. Key recommendations include offering competitive salaries, enhancing welfare benefits, and creating a safe and supportive work environment—all core elements of the proposed retention strategy.

Echoing similar concerns, Alice Jegede-Ikpen, Chairperson of the Midwives Committee, identified insecurity, frequent epidemics, economic challenges, and displacement as significant contributors to the ongoing workforce drain. She linked these factors to Nigeria’s alarming maternal mortality rate, currently estimated at 576 deaths per 100,000 live births, one of the highest globally.

While commending the federal government’s plan to construct and rehabilitate 10,000 primary healthcare centers across the country, Jegede-Ikpen stressed the need for adequate staffing. She estimated that each facility would require a minimum of eight qualified nurses and midwives to operate efficiently.

She further called on federal and state governments to integrate the large pool of underutilized professionals, including casually engaged midwives from the Expanded Midwives Service Scheme and over 115,000 unemployed graduate nurses, into the mainstream health workforce.

Delivering a keynote address virtually, Sandra Torres, a representative of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), advocated for the inclusion of nurses and midwives in national crisis planning and emergency response frameworks. She highlighted the demanding conditions under which many of these professionals operate, particularly during public health emergencies and periods of insecurity.

Other stakeholders present at the event included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. They collectively emphasized the urgent need for sustained governmental action to strengthen and retain the nursing and midwifery workforce, which they described as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

By Taiwo Olatinwo/ May 12, 2025