Nursing Council Ends ‘Three Strikes’ Policy for Student Nurses

September 8, 2025
By Ademola Adekusibe

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has abolished its long-standing policy that dismissed student nurses after failing professional qualifying examinations three times.

Under the revised rules, candidates who do not pass will now be allowed to re-sit only the sections they failed, rather than repeating the entire examination process or facing outright dismissal.

Registrar of the Council, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, announced the policy shift at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Monday. He said the decision followed extensive consultations with education providers, regulatory bodies, and professional associations, all aimed at addressing concerns over the fairness of the previous system.

“The Council has listened to the voices of students, institutions, and professionals who believe the old rule placed unnecessary pressure on candidates and contributed to high attrition rates in nursing schools,” Abubakar stated.

He explained that the new framework is expected to improve the learning environment, reduce dropouts, and ultimately strengthen the country’s health workforce at a time when Nigeria faces critical shortages of nurses and midwives.

Students and stakeholders welcomed the announcement, describing it as a relief for aspiring nurses who had been discouraged by the rigid three-attempt rule.