The House of Representatives has passed a bill for second reading seeking to establish a Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery in Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State, as lawmakers push to expand healthcare training and address Nigeria’s shortage of skilled medical personnel.
The bill, sponsored by Benjamin Olabinjo, who represents Ifako/Ijaiye Federal Constituency, was considered during plenary on Wednesday.
The proposed institution would serve as a specialised centre for training, research and continuing education in nursing, midwifery and related healthcare fields.
Leading the debate on the bill, Olabinjo said the college would help increase the supply of qualified nurses and midwives available to hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country.
“Ask any hospital in Nigeria what it needs most, and the answer is almost always the same: more nurses and midwives,” the lawmaker said.
He added, “Yet we are losing them faster than we are training them. This bill is about training more of them, and training them where they are needed.”
According to him, the limited number of federally accredited training places has left many aspiring nurses and midwives struggling to secure admission, even as hospitals continue to face personnel shortages.
Under the proposed legislation, the college would be empowered to offer professional certificates, diplomas, degrees and post-basic qualifications in nursing, midwifery and related specialities.
The institution would also admit students, conduct examinations and research, organise academic programmes and provide continuing education for practising healthcare professionals.
The proposed administrative structure includes a governing council, a School of Nursing and a School of Midwifery, alongside principal officers responsible for the institution’s academic and administrative activities.
Olabinjo said the college could strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly maternal and child health services, by producing more skilled professionals.
