Governments at all levels have been urged to scale up investment in nursing education, welfare, infrastructure, and workplace safety as part of strategies to boost national productivity and economic growth.

Registrar/CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Alhassan Ndagi, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2025 International Nurses Week and the unveiling of the 7th edition of the State House Nurses Magazine, organised by the Nursing Department of the State House Medical Centre.

Ndagi stressed the need to place nurses at the centre of ongoing health reforms, while also respecting and supporting them as they serve with “compassion and dedication.”

He noted that nurses play a vital role in employee health, workplace surveillance, and emergency response, adding that investing in their well-being leads to improved patient safety, fewer medical errors, increased productivity, and higher workforce retention.

“The theme for this year, Our Nurses, Our Future: Caring for Nurses, Strengthens Economies, shifts focus to the well-being of nurses, underscoring their central role in strong health systems and thriving economies,” he said.
Chairman of the occasion, businessman Arthur Eze, represented by Brig. Gen. I.U. Babangida (rtd), praised Nigerian nurses for their resilience despite harsh conditions.

He called on authorities to improve their welfare to stem the tide of skilled professionals migrating abroad.

In her welcome address, Nurse Taiwo Thompson-Olatigbe, Head of the Nursing Department at State House Medical Centre, described nurses as the “backbone and fulcrum of efficient healthcare delivery.”

She emphasised that “caring for nurses is not charity, it is a strategy,” urging greater support for training and manpower development.

His Royal Highness, Etsu Kwali, Luka Ayedoo Nizassan III, who unveiled the magazine, highlighted the link between a healthy nursing workforce and a stronger economy, noting that only emotionally stable and well-supported nurses can deliver quality care.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Maryam Keshinro; Chief Physician to the President, Dr. Ade Tinubu; Director of Nursing, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Development, Dame Francisca Okafor; and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, among others.

International Nurses Day, celebrated every May 12 to mark the birth of Florence Nightingale, was this year commemorated with scientific sessions, paper presentations, and interactive discussions on health and development.