By Obike Ukoh
Among the demands of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) for embarking on a seven-day warning strike was the centralization of internship for university-graduate nurses.
The one-year internship programme is a fundamental process in the making of a qualified nurse, designed to bridge the gap between the theoretical knowledge acquired in the university and the realities in clinical practice.
It equally serves as a prerequisite for issuance of a permanent nursing practicing license by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), which confers the legal authority on the officer to practice nursing in Nigeria.
However, it has not always been easy for graduate nurses to find placements, as they individually have to search for vacancies in approved health facilities.
NANNM and the University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA) have been consistently voicing that the current practice is bedeviled with corruption and immorality.
In a May 15, 2025, letter to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, UGONSA articulated its position and professional challenges facing fresh university graduate nurses.
The letter is titled: “Nigeria’s University Nurses’ Internship Placement Crisis: A clarion call for your kind immediate intervention on centralized posting system.’’ The association recalled that the internship programme was approved by National Council of Establishment (NCE), held in Minna, in 2016, while the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), issued a circular HCSF/EPO/EIR/CNO/100/ST/97, of 8 September, 2016 to that effect.
UGONSA stated inter alia: “The disturbing trend/experiences reported by graduate nurses seeking internship placement in various health facilities in recent times, which calls for urgent intervention, are reports of alleged bribery, corruption, and demand for sex from some female candidates before giving a slot.
“Our association gathered that some personnel in some facilities unofficially demand payments ranging from N200,000 to N300,000 and more from candidates.
“Others also negotiate for monthly deductions from the interns’ allowances throughout the 12-month duration of the programme.’’
The association lamented that “this unfolding precarious situation is fast developing into a depressive circumstance as many of the prospective nurse interns have their interns’ temporary licenses expired before getting a placement.
“This ugly situation will warrant them to go back to NMCN for another process of getting a new one, which further contributes to their waiting time.’’
The association urged the minister to adopt the following proposals and present same as a memo to the National Council on Health for consideration and approval: “ Centralized Interns Application Portal: we call on the honourable Minister to authorize the creation of a Centralized Internship Application Portal, where all universities will forward the names of all graduate nurses yearly, for a centralized placement and posting across the country.
“Partnership with states and privately-owned hospitals for internship programme.’’ There were no positive responses, so the nurses continued their agitation.
Even before the recent strike and the 2016 circular by the Head of Service, the graduate nurses had sustained their agitation.
On March 3, 2010, university nursing students all over the country, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students Association (NUNSA), organized a peaceful rally in Abuja.
The rally drew sympathizers from fellow Nigerians, including the media and the powers that be, with the Head of Service making a promise through his representative for a speedy implementation of the one-year clinical training for graduate nurses.
As usual, different circulars were issued with respect to the approval of the nursing internship from the office of the Head of Service and the Council on Establishment.
The relevant authorities promised full implementation by August 2012, a promise not fulfilled, hence the continuation of the agitation.
Some of the stakeholders who spoke on the lingering issue of centralized placement for graduate nurses described the situation as unfortunate.
A graduate nurse of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki still waiting for induction and internship, said the situation is worrisome.
The student who spoke on the condition of anonymity noted that some students who were inducted about two years ago are still searching for where to do an internship.
She commended the leadership of NANNM for its untiring efforts to compel the Federal Government to resolve the issue of internship for graduate nurses.
Also commenting, a parent whose daughter did the internship years back, stressed the need to urgently centralize the internship.
The parent, who retired from a parastatal agency under the Federal Ministry of Information, said it was not easy finding a space for the daughter. “It was not easy; a friend helped me to get a recommendation letter from a top politician, which was the saving grace that enabled my daughter to perform the one-year internship.
“The system should be seamless to save parents from this agony. “ To pay school fees for five years is not very easy; the burden on parents should not be further increased by this endless search for institutions to do the internship,’’ he emphasized.
Let’s hope that the agreement reached between NANNM and the Federal Government during the seven-day warning strike will bring the matter to an end.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Federal Government pledged to direct the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to put in place modalities for the central placement of nurses for internship.
This has been the demand over the years, and if implemented, will bring the matter to an end.
