FNA News | Lagos Nigeria | 15th October, 2026.
Future of Nursing: Lagos Conference Calls for More Nurses in Healthcare Decision-Making
LAGOS, Nigeria — Nursing leaders and healthcare stakeholders have called for stronger nursing representation in healthcare decision-making, improved nursing education and greater investment in leadership development as the profession prepares for the future.
The call came at the Future Ready Nursing Leadership Conference held in Lagos on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. The conference was organised by the Directorate of Nursing Services, Lagos State Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the London Professional Training Centre (LPTC).
The event brought together nursing leaders, policymakers, educators and healthcare professionals to discuss the changing demands of nursing practice, workforce development, innovation and leadership.
Discussions focused on how nurses can strengthen their influence in healthcare governance, adapt to technological changes, improve professional practice and contribute to the development of stronger health systems.
Ogunyemi urges nurses to take their place in healthcare leadership
Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser on Health to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu delivered a keynote address highlighting the need for nurses to participate actively in healthcare decision-making.
She emphasised that nursing representation at leadership and policy-making levels is essential to effective healthcare governance.
Dr Ogunyemi stressed that the Director of Nursing Services should be actively involved in decisions affecting healthcare delivery, rather than nursing representation being treated merely as a matter of entitlement.
She also challenged nurses to embrace innovation, understand policy, finance and politics, and take deliberate steps to demonstrate their professional value.
Another key message was the need for nursing leaders to move from managing scarcity to managing systems. This involves strengthening processes, improving service delivery and developing sustainable responses to healthcare challenges rather than focusing exclusively on limited resources.
Her address placed nursing leadership at the centre of efforts to improve healthcare delivery, protect patients and prepare the next generation of nursing professionals.
She also highlighted the importance of collaboration beyond professional titles and demonstrating measurable progress.
Busola Ajayi joins nursing leadership conversation as keynote speaker
Mrs Busola Ajayi, Chief Executive Officer of Florence John Limited, was also featured as a keynote speaker at the conference.
Her participation formed part of a programme designed to bring together perspectives on nursing leadership, professional development and the future of healthcare.
The conference also featured Dr Malvis Humphrey, Chief Executive Officer of the LPTC Group, as co-host, while Mrs Omowunmi Ekong, Director of Nursing Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, served as host.
The involvement of nursing administrators, healthcare policymakers and other professional stakeholders reflected the conference’s focus on leadership development and collaboration across the healthcare sector.
Nursing education expands, but lecturer shortages raise concerns
Despite the growth of nursing education in Nigeria, concerns about the availability of qualified lecturers and adequate teaching personnel remain.
Speaking to Fellow Nurses Africa, Dr Mrs Shonibare acknowledged the expansion of nursing education, citing more than 652 nursing training institutions across the country.
However, she warned that the growth in training capacity must be matched by investment in the quality of education and the workforce responsible for preparing future nurses.
She raised concerns about the shortage of qualified teaching personnel and the potential consequences for students’ preparedness and performance in qualifying examinations.
Her comments highlighted an important challenge for the profession: expanding access to nursing education while ensuring that graduates receive the training required to deliver safe, competent and evidence-based care.
The issue places renewed emphasis on strengthening nursing faculty, improving educational resources and supporting the institutions responsible for training the next generation of nurses.
Panel examines the skills nurses need for the future
A panel discussion explored what it means to be a future-ready nurse in a healthcare environment undergoing significant changes in education, management and technology.
The session was hosted by Feyintoluwa Ogungbenro, Chief Nursing Officer at Evercare Hospital, Lagos and featured Dr Ololade Fadipe, Commissioner 4, Lagos State Ministry of Health; Dr Olawale Oladapo, Chairman, AGPNP, Lagos State chapter; Dr Bimbo Ojo, Head of the Nursing Department, College of Medicine, Lagos; and Mrs Cole, Director of Nursing Services at the Hospital Services Commission.
The discussion examined the adaptations needed to prepare nurses for emerging professional responsibilities and changing healthcare demands.
Key areas included capacity building, electronic medical records (EMR), nurse retention, entrepreneurship and the need for nurses to think beyond conventional approaches to professional practice.
The panel also highlighted the importance of understanding professional unions and the role they play in representing nurses’ interests.
These discussions reflected a broader view of future readiness: nurses need more than clinical competence. They also require digital skills, leadership capacity, adaptability and an understanding of the systems in which healthcare is delivered.
Technology, entrepreneurship and workforce development
The discussion around electronic medical records highlighted the importance of digital competence as healthcare organisations adopt technology to support documentation, communication and continuity of care.
Entrepreneurship was another area of focus, encouraging nurses to consider innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and opportunities to apply their professional knowledge beyond traditional career pathways.
Nurse retention also featured in the conversation, drawing attention to the importance of developing and sustaining a skilled nursing workforce.
Together, these issues underline the need for continuous professional development and stronger institutional support to help nurses adapt to changes in clinical practice, education and healthcare management.
Capacity building and practical skills development
The conference also incorporated manual-handling training and capacity-building activities, extending its focus beyond leadership discussions to practical professional development.
Manual-handling competence is important in healthcare settings where nurses assist patients with movement, repositioning and transfers. Appropriate training can support safer working practices and help reduce avoidable risks to both patients and healthcare staff.
The inclusion of practical training alongside leadership discussions reflected the importance of combining professional knowledge with the skills required for safe and effective care.
Preparing nurses for the future requires attention to both dimensions: the ability to lead and influence healthcare systems, and the practical competence needed to deliver quality care at the point of service.
Why nursing leadership matters
The conference highlighted the importance of ensuring that nurses have meaningful opportunities to contribute to decisions that affect patients, healthcare workers and health services.
Nurses have direct experience of patient care and the operational challenges within healthcare facilities. Their perspectives can inform decisions about staffing, training, technology, patient safety and service improvement.
However, stronger representation requires deliberate investment in leadership development and opportunities for nurses to participate in policy discussions and organisational decision-making.
Equally, the expansion of nursing education must be supported by qualified educators, effective training systems and adequate resources.
The discussions at the conference brought these priorities together, emphasising that the future of nursing depends on the development of competent practitioners, confident leaders and systems that support professional growth.
FNA calls for sustained investment in nursing
Fellow Nurses Africa attended the conference as part of its commitment to informing, educating and supporting the nursing profession through journalism, advocacy and professional engagement.
The issues discussed at the event are relevant to the wider nursing profession across Africa, particularly the need to strengthen leadership, improve education, support workforce development and embrace innovation.
Turning these priorities into meaningful progress requires collaboration among government, nursing leaders, educational institutions, healthcare employers and professional associations.
It also requires sustained attention to the conditions that allow nurses to develop their skills, contribute to decision-making and provide safe, effective care.
The Future Ready Nursing Leadership Conference provided a platform for these conversations, bringing together stakeholders to consider how nurses can respond to changing healthcare demands and play a greater role in shaping the future of the profession.
Ultimately, preparing future-ready nurses is not only about helping individual professionals adapt to change. It is also about building healthcare systems in which nursing expertise is recognised, leadership is strengthened and patient care remains central to every decision.
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Kehinde Oluwatosin is one of the many editors here at Fellow Nurses Africa and fellownurses.com.
He is a registered nurse with a Master of Science degree in healthcare leadership from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. Kehinde is passionate about advancing the nursing profession across Africa. As Co-Founder of Fellow Nurses Africa, he plays a key role in shaping editorial direction, ensuring our content educates, informs, and empowers nurses continent-wide.
With expertise in leadership, patient flow, and healthcare operations, Kehinde brings valuable insights to nursing news, career development, and policy discussions. He is committed to amplifying the voice of African nurses and driving positive change in the profession.
