Mixed reactions have trailed the reopening of the verification portal by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN.
The NMCN reopened the portal after almost nine months of its closure.
Nurses and midwives have lauded the efforts of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives in ensuring that the portal is reopened.
They, however, said the portal is not accessible to new nurses, and the two-year post-qualification is still in effect.
The NMCN had on February 7, 2024, issued a circular revising the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives.
The circular signed by the Registrar of the council, Dr Faruk Abubakar, partly read that eligible applicants must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practising licence, and any application with a provisional licence shall be rejected.
It also stated that the council shall request a letter of good standing from the chief executive officer of the applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institution attended and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, NMCN.
The council also stated that applicants must have active practising licences with a minimum of six months to the expiration date, and processing of verification applications would take a minimum of six months, among others.
A Nurse and Fellow of the West African College of Nursing, Jude Chiedu, called for a reduction in the verification fee.
Chiedu said, “The NMCN fees for verification to Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools remain exorbitant, even after CGFNS launched the online Credential Transfer Portal which allows licensing authorities to submit information electronically, streamlining the process for regulatory bodies to provide licensure or registration verifications on behalf of their registrants. The CTP eliminates the need for organizations to send paper verifications.
“Given this digital advancement, the fees should be reduced accordingly. Charging nurses ₦68,875 for verification alone is excessively high and exploitative. The NMCN must adapt to the new digital system and adjust the fee structure to reflect the efficiency and cost savings brought by the CTP. The council must support its registrants by making the verification process more affordable and accessible.”
