FG's health worker migration policy still in planning stage despite 2024 approval
Nigeria's National Policy on Health Workforce Migration, approved in August 2024, remains in the planning stage according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report. While an implementation plan was finalized in 2025 outlining strategies for managing health worker movement, retention, and career progression, full implementation has not commenced. This leaves a key component of Nigeria's response to health worker migration still in its early phase. The report notes progress in other workforce development areas including training 23,000 frontline health workers in 2025 (total 78,146 trained since 2024, 65% of 120,000 target) and expanding the National Health Workforce Registry to all 36 states. Digital learning platforms and remote consultation modules have been integrated into training. However, persistent shortages remain: Nigeria has 95,456 registered doctors but only 60,551 licensed to practice. Northern states like Yobe (0.5 doctors/10,000 population) face extreme shortages, with community health practitioners (223,802 registered) serving as rural healthcare backbone. The migration policy aims to manage rather than restrict movement, with provisions for bilateral agreements and diaspora incentives, but medical associations warn without addressing poor remuneration and infrastructure, impact will be limited. READ ALSO: Nigeria expands TB detection with digital tools, diagnoses over 450,000 cases in 2025