The latest report released by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) states that 3,383 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives were licensed to practice in the United Kingdom between April 1, 2022 and March 2023,
The report also showed that so far, 10,639 Nigerian nurses and midwives practice in the UK.
The NMC regulates nursing and midwifery practice in the UK and it maintains a register of all nurses, midwives, and specialist community public health nurses and nursing associates eligible to ply their trade in the UK.
The report showed that the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates registered to practice in the UK has grown to a record total of 788,638.
The council said 2022 to 2023 saw the highest number of new joiners to the register in a single year – more than 52,000.
These include 27,142 new professionals educated in the UK and 25,006 professionals educated around the world, mainly outside Europe.
The data showed that Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign nurses and midwives working in the UK after India and the Philippines.
NMC noted: “76.8 per cent of internationally educated professionals (educated outside the UK and EU/EEA) (104,506 out of 136,116) are from India, the Philippines and Nigeria. In 2022–2023, the number of people educated in India overtook the number of professionals from the Philippines.”
It further stated that since March 2018, there had been an increase in the number of persons joining the permanent register from the UK.
It said between April 2022 and March 2023, 27,142 people from the UK joined the register.
The council said number of Nigerian nurses and midwives who moved to the UK in 2018 was 2,796 and increased 3,021 in 2019.
It further stated that by 2020, 3,684 Nigerian nurses and midwives were already practising in the UK, and that the number increased to 4,310 in 2021 and 7,256 in 2022.
By March 31, 2023, the number of Nigerian nurses and midwives practising in the UK stood at 10,639.
Also, the number of nurses and midwives from the Philippines in the UK is now 45,472, while the number of nurses and midwives from India practicing in the UK is now 48,395.
