As the world commemorates International Nurses Day 2025, a 9am News report highlights the growing crisis threatening Africa’s already fragile health systems. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 42% of nurses in Africa have expressed intentions to emigrate, driven by poor pay, lack of safety, and limited career growth opportunities.
The WHO’s Acting Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, described the trend as “alarming,” warning that it could drastically worsen access to healthcare across the continent. He made these remarks in line with this year’s theme: “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for Nurses Strengthens Health Systems and Economies.”
“Nurses are the backbone of our health systems. Yet nearly half of them are looking to leave. This has far-reaching implications for access to care and health equity,” Dr. Ihekweazu stated.
Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, is experiencing the brunt of the crisis. Between 2021 and 2023, over 15,000 Nigerian nurses secured verification from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to work abroad. This migration wave is intensifying staff shortages in local hospitals, resulting in longer wait times and declining patient care quality.
Reports have shown that even major hospitals in Nigeria are struggling to retain skilled professionals, leading to burnout among remaining staff and worsening health outcomes for citizens.
The Numbers Behind the Brain Drain
The State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025 reveals that while the global nursing workforce has grown to 29.8 million, Africa still faces significant disparities:
- 70% of Africa’s healthcare workforce are nurses
- 14.1 nurses per 100,000 people in Africa, compared to much higher ratios in wealthier nations
- 66% of the projected shortfall of 6.1 million health workers in Africa by 2030 are nurses
- 43% of nurses in Africa are under 35, yet face limited mentorship and career pathways
Adding to the challenge, nearly 80% of nurses serve only 49% of the world’s population, underscoring the unequal distribution of healthcare workers.
Another critical issue is the gender disparity in the nursing profession. Women make up 85% of the nursing workforce globally, but still face a 7% pay gap and lack adequate representation in leadership roles.
High-income countries are also aggressively recruiting from Africa. In several of these nations, foreign-born nurses make up nearly a quarter of the workforce, further draining talent from low-resource settings where their services are most needed.
Following the 2024 Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, WHO is calling on African governments to take urgent steps:
- Expand education and training for nurses
- Strengthen regulations and standards
- Create advanced practice roles
- Improve pay and mental health support
- Invest in leadership and gender equity
Encouragingly, countries like Zimbabwe are setting the pace. The southern African nation is preparing to mobilise $166 million annually over three years to support and expand its health workforce through locally tailored investment compacts.
About International Nurses Day
International Nurses Day is marked every 12 May to honour the contributions of nurses worldwide. The date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), the founder of modern nursing, and to reflect on the profession’s critical role in global healthcare.
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