Two Nigerian Nurses Contested to Lead the UK’s Biggest Nursing Union. The Results Are Out. Here’s Where They Stand.

FNA News, Lagos Nigeria, 10th September, 2026.

Elections make history through a winner. Others make history through who appears on the ballot.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the United Kingdom’s largest nursing union, has announced the outcome of its presidential election, with incumbent Bejoy Sebastian securing a second term after receiving 10,750 votes.

Among the four candidates were two Nigerian nurses — Dr Patience Bamisaye and Amarachi Ukairo — whose campaigns became one of the defining stories of the election.

Neither secured the presidency, but both helped spotlight the growing influence of Nigerian-trained nurses within British healthcare and reinforced an important message: internationally educated nurses are increasingly participating not only in delivering care, but also in shaping the future of the profession.

A landmark election for UK nursing

The RCN represents approximately 582,000 members across the United Kingdom, making it the country’s largest professional body and trade union for nursing. Its president serves as one of nursing’s most prominent elected voices, representing the profession nationally and internationally while advocating on issues affecting the workforce.

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The final presidential results were:

A total of 22,926 valid votes were cast, alongside 149 invalid ballots, while Professor Alison Leary was elected Deputy President unopposed.

For many Nigerian nurses working across the NHS — and for those watching from Nigeria and across Africa — the significance of the election extended beyond the final rankings. Seeing two Nigerian professionals contest one of the profession’s highest elected offices reflected how leadership pathways within UK nursing continue to broaden.

Dr Patience Bamisaye’s strong national showing

Dr Patience Bamisaye entered the race with one of the strongest leadership records among the candidates.

Originally trained at the School of Nursing in Jalingo, Taraba State, before completing her midwifery education in Nigeria, she has built a distinguished career in the UK as a Senior Lecturer and Director of International Nursing Courses at Anglia Ruskin University.

Within the RCN, she previously served as both Chair and Vice-Chair of RCN Congress — one of the College’s most visible elected leadership positions.

Finishing second with 5,636 votes, Bamisaye secured nearly a quarter of all valid ballots and finished ahead of fellow candidate Steve Watson, demonstrating significant support from members across the UK.

Following the announcement, she congratulated Sebastian and reaffirmed her commitment to the profession.

“An election should never divide us. We may have supported different candidates and held different views, but we remain one nursing family.”

She added that her commitment to nursing “did not begin with this election, and it does not end with this result,” framing the campaign as part of a continuing commitment to professional service.

Amarachi Ukairo’s message beyond the ballot

For Amarachi Ukairo, the campaign represented a different leadership journey.

A Nigerian-trained registered nurse who later transitioned into clinical informatics, she campaigned on strengthening member engagement and improving career progression opportunities for nurses.

She received 1,365 votes, finishing fourth.

After the result, she shared a candid reflection with supporters, acknowledging her disappointment while encouraging more Nigerian nurses to participate in professional leadership.

“I won’t pretend I am not disappointed. I am.”

She followed with a message that resonated with many internationally educated nurses.

“We cannot always control the outcome, but we can control whether we have the courage to step forward. I am proud that I did.”

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Her remarks reflected a wider belief that representation grows not only through victories, but also through the willingness to seek leadership opportunities and contribute to shaping professional institutions.

What the numbers reveal

The election attracted 23,075 ballots from approximately 582,000 eligible members, representing a turnout of around 4%.

The combined votes received by both Nigerian candidates totalled 7,001, representing just over 30% of all valid votes cast.

Rather than viewing those figures solely through the lens of electoral success or defeat, they also illustrate that Nigerian nurses are becoming increasingly visible participants in leadership conversations within one of the world’s most influential nursing organisations.

Why representation matters

The significance of this election becomes even clearer when viewed alongside the changing face of the UK nursing workforce.

Nigeria has become one of the largest sources of internationally educated nurses on the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register. The number of Nigerian-trained professionals has grown rapidly in recent years — from 10,639 in 2023 to more than 22,000 by 2025 — making Nigeria the third-largest internationally educated nursing workforce in the UK, behind India and the Philippines.

That contribution extends far beyond recruitment. Nigerian nurses now serve across the NHS as frontline clinicians, educators, researchers, specialist practitioners and senior managers, helping to sustain healthcare services at a time when internationally educated professionals form an increasingly important part of Britain’s nursing workforce. By 2025, more than one in five professionals on the NMC register had trained outside the UK and European Union, underscoring the international character of modern British nursing.

Leadership representation matters because organisations like the RCN help shape conversations around workforce policy, professional development, education, equality, pay and safe staffing. As the nursing workforce becomes more diverse, seeing experienced internationally educated nurses contest senior elected positions demonstrates that leadership can increasingly reflect the breadth of talent serving patients across the UK.

For many Nigerian nurses, this election was therefore about more than a presidency. It was another indication that the journey from the bedside to national leadership is becoming more visible — and that participating in professional leadership remains an important way of helping shape nursing’s future.

A moment that reaches beyond Britain

Bejoy Sebastian will begin his second presidential term on 1 January 2027, with priorities including safe staffing, fair pay and supporting nursing students — issues that continue to shape discussions across the UK health system.

For many observers, however, this election will also be remembered for another reason.

Two Nigerian women placed themselves before the entire RCN membership as candidates for its highest elected office. One emerged as the runner-up with substantial national support. The other encouraged fellow nurses to see leadership as something worth pursuing, regardless of immediate outcomes.

Together, their campaigns have strengthened an important conversation about representation, leadership and opportunity within UK nursing.

Why this story matters for African nurses

The impact of this election reaches beyond Britain.

Thousands of Nigerian nurses now work across the NHS and wider UK health sector, contributing to patient care, education, research and healthcare leadership. Seeing Nigerian professionals compete for one of the profession’s highest elected positions sends an important message to nurses across Africa: leadership pathways remain open to those willing to serve, contribute and participate.

History is not always defined by a single election result.

Sometimes it is shaped by the doors that become more visible for those who follow.

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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa.