NMCN to Quacks: Your Days Are Numbered

By Fellow Nurses Africa

Nigeria’s nursing regulator has vowed to stamp out quackery from the Nigerian nursing profession, warning that the days of unqualified practitioners are coming to an end.

In an exclusive telephone interview with Fellow Nurses Africa, Alhaji Alhassan Ndagi Al-Hassan, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), said his tenure will usher in policies designed to raise the standards of nursing practice and education nationwide.

“My vision is clear,” he said. “This Council under my leadership will not only protect patients from quacks, but also elevate Nigerian nurses to a level of professionalism and excellence that meets global standards.”

“Auxiliary nurses do not exist”

The Registrar spoke firmly against the long-standing practice of tolerating unqualified health workers often referred to as “auxiliary nurses.”

“There is no such thing as auxiliary nursing,” he said over the phone. “These individuals are quacks and charlatans. We must stop dignifying them with such titles. Their days are numbered.”

He revealed that the Council is working with law enforcement agencies, education regulators, and other stakeholders to identify and shut down illegal training centres across the country.

“These so-called training programmes are factories of quackery,” he said. “We are intensifying efforts to dismantle them, and soon, their operators will face the full weight of the law. Only qualified, licensed nurses will be permitted to practice in Nigeria.”

Outdated Practices Scrapped

Alhaji Ndagi also announced the abolition of refresher courses and resit examinations—two policies that had long shaped nursing education in Nigeria.

“Those practices belong in the past,” he said. “Refresher courses were costly, limited in access, and demoralising. Resits created unnecessary pressure. We are moving to a system that encourages continuous learning and gives every student a fair chance to succeed.”

He explained that the decision to end these requirements is rooted in a broader strategy to keep aspiring nurses within the regulated system, reducing the risk of them drifting into unlicensed practice.

“Imagine a student who has invested years in training but is expelled after failing exams,” he said. “They already know enough to pose as a nurse without a licence. Instead of creating quacks, we will support them until they are properly qualified.”

A Vision for the Profession

Alhaji Ndagi, who assumed office as the substantive Registrar only recently, said his tenure will focus on policy reforms that align Nigerian nursing with international standards.

“My administration will prioritise excellence in nursing education and practice,” he said. “We are setting the stage for Nigerian nurses to be respected globally. This is about restoring trust in the profession and ensuring that patients are safe in the hands of competent professionals.”

Restoring Confidence and Protecting Patients

The Registrar emphasised that these reforms are not just about academics, but about public safety and professional pride.

“The integrity of the nursing profession must never be compromised,” he said. “Every Nigerian deserves safe, skilled care. These reforms are how we protect our patients, support our students, and strengthen the profession for the future.”

A Call to Action

In closing, he urged nursing educators, healthcare providers, policymakers, and students to rally behind the reforms.

“The future of nursing in Nigeria depends on our collective effort,” he told Fellow Nurses Africa. “We must uphold excellence, protect our patients, and ensure that only those who are truly qualified wear the title of nurse.”

Fellow Nurses Africa commends the bold steps taken by Alhaji Alhassan Ndagi Al-Hassan and calls on all stakeholders to support the Council’s drive to eliminate quackery and elevate the standards of nursing in Nigeria.

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