By Fellow Nurses Africa Correspondent | August 12, 2025

NMCN Indexing Portal Malfunction Sparks Frustration Among Nigerian Nursing Students

LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) is under scrutiny as reports emerge of persistent technical issues with its newly launched indexing portal, leaving scores of nursing students across the country unable to complete essential registrations for the General/Basic Nursing programme. With the application window rapidly closing, students and institutional coordinators are voicing deep concerns over the disruptions, which they say threaten academic and professional timelines.

The NMCN officially opened the portal on July 31, 2025, for eligible students to apply for indexing, a mandatory step toward professional registration as nurses. According to the council’s memo, signed by Olaniyi A. Filade, Head of the Indexing Division, the deadline is set for August 22, 2025. However, the new platform at https://portal20.nmcn.gov.ng has been reported as non-functional for several days, while the legacy portal fails to display options for the current Basic Indexing for General Nursing.

Students who spoke to a Fellow Nurses Africa correspondent described feeling “stranded” amid the uncertainty. One student nurse from a college in Lagos, who requested anonymity due to fears of institutional repercussions, shared: “We are just stranded, not knowing if indexing is ongoing currently or not. Many student nurses have been asking about the whole indexing process.”

A coordinator from a nursing institution in Abuja, a former student leader now assisting with registrations, echoed these sentiments. “The issue is from the students’ end; they can’t even apply online for basic indexing for RN. It is after they apply that we can start talking about clearing them,” the coordinator explained. They added that the new portal “has not been functional for some days now,” and attempts to use the old portal reveal no listing for the General Nursing indexing exercise.

The coordinator further highlighted the slow progress caused by the glitches: “Since it started, only two persons have been registered from my end. With that speed, maybe only six persons will register before the closure date.” Today marks August 12, already halfway through the application period, intensifying the urgency.

Efforts by Fellow Nurses Africa to reach Olaniyi A. Filade for comment proved abortive. The NMCN has not issued any public updates addressing the reported problems, leaving stakeholders without official guidance.

This is not the first instance of portal-related challenges for the NMCN. Historical precedents, such as the abrupt closure of the verification portal in December 2023 without prior notice, have previously disrupted nursing professionals seeking licensure abroad. Such recurring issues raise questions about the council’s digital infrastructure and its impact on Nigeria’s nursing education landscape.

In the memo, the NMCN emphasized the importance of timely applications, warning that unpaid submissions by the deadline would not be processed, potentially incurring late fees for both schools and applicants. Eligible candidates include students admitted in the October/November 2024 cycle at Colleges of Nursing, ND-HND students who have completed their second semester of ND-1, and university nursing students at the 300 level.

The nursing community is now calling for immediate intervention. “NMCN, please do something about the new portal quickly,” urged the Abuja coordinator. Proposed solutions include extending the deadline, restoring full functionality to the portal, and providing alternative registration methods to mitigate the fallout.

Fellow Nurses Africa urges affected students and institutions to document their experiences and contact Fellownursesafrica@gmail.com.

The organization will continue to monitor developments and advocate for resolutions that uphold excellence in nursing education and practice.

Join the Premier African Nursing Community

Elevate your nursing career by joining the largest and most vibrant African nursing community through our exclusive WhatsApp group: Connect with Fellow Nurses Africa.

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