President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration.
The policy will address the challenges facing Nigeria’s health human resources, and a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, disclosed this in a statement on his X handle.
According to the minister, the policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals.
“This policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals; it’s a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration. It envisions a thriving workforce that is well-supported, adequately rewarded, and optimally utilised to meet the healthcare needs of all Nigerians,” the minister wrote.
Pate said as the AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, President Tinubu’s commitment to a resilient and robust healthcare system is powerfully reflected in the forward-looking policy.
The minister noted that central to this vision is the Nigeria Human Health Resource Programme, which sets a framework for regular reviews of working conditions, ensuring that health workers, especially in rural and underserved areas, receive the recognition and rewards they deserve.
“By fostering an environment conducive to professional growth and stability, the policy aims to retain top talent within Nigeria,” Pate added.
He further stated that the policy addresses the return and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals from the Diaspora and that by establishing streamlined registration processes and providing attractive incentives, the policy not only encourages the return of talented professionals but actively reintegrates them into the health system.
“Also, the policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria. These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of our healthcare professionals.
“We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.”
