A major scandal has rocked the UK’s nursing sector, with 1,238 Nigerian nurses facing disciplinary action over alleged exam fraud at the Yunnik test centre in Ibadan, Oyo State. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has also launched investigations into 717 others, bringing the total number of affected individuals to 1,955.
The controversy stems from irregularities detected in the Computer-Based Test (CBT), a key requirement for foreign-trained nurses seeking UK registration. Investigators flagged suspiciously rapid completion times, raising concerns of possible misconduct.
As a result, some nurses have already lost their visas and are facing deportation. According to reports from the Nursing Times, several professionals have been removed from the NMC register, while others are currently appealing their cases.
Breaking down the figures, the NMC stated:
“48 professionals on the register achieved their CBT in a time we believe is more likely than not to indicate that they obtained their result fraudulently. 669 applicants wishing to join the register also fall into this category.
467 professionals on the register had their CBT invalidated without fraud allegations, while 771 applicants in a similar situation had their tests invalidated.”
To address the crisis, the NMC is offering affected individuals a free retake of the CBT through Pearson VUE. However, the council clarified that passing the retest does not guarantee reinstatement or automatic approval of pending applications.
Those found guilty of fraud will face disciplinary hearings before an Independent Panel, which will determine their professional fate. Meanwhile, applicants whose CBT results were invalidated must retake the test to have their applications reconsidered.
So far, 202 cases have been reviewed, leading to 183 application refusals over character concerns. Only nine applications have been approved, while six out of nine appeal cases have been dismissed.
Since March 2024, the NMC has held 12 fraudulent entry hearings, resulting in 10 nurses being struck off the register, while two were cleared of wrongdoing.
The council has assured affected individuals that efforts are being made to resolve cases swiftly while also providing support to those struggling with the process.
This scandal emerges amid a surge in Nigerian healthcare professionals migrating abroad. Former Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Faruk Abubakar, disclosed that over 15,000 nurses and midwives left Nigeria in 2023 alone, bringing the total to 42,000 over the past three years.
Despite the ongoing crisis, official records as of August 2024 show that 13,656 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives remain actively employed in the UK.
