The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has officially abolished its long-standing policy that disqualified students from nursing training after three failed attempts at the Council’s professional examinations.
In a circular dated September 1, 2025, and signed by the Registrar and CEO, Ndagi Alhassan, the Council announced that affected students will now be allowed unlimited re-sits of any failed exam component, provided they maintain a minimum of 80% attendance in both lectures and clinical postings.
The notice, titled “Nursing Education Reform: Elimination of Students After Three Professional Examination Attempts”, was addressed to stakeholders across the nursing education and healthcare sector, including state health commissioners, university nursing faculties, and hospital administrators.
According to the Council, this change is part of a broader push to make nursing education in Nigeria more inclusive, student-friendly, and globally aligned.
The aim is to move away from punitive academic policies and toward a model that encourages resilience, lifelong learning, and academic support.
“Our mission to uphold excellence in nursing education demands flexibility and inclusivity,” the circular reads.
“We must shift from eliminating struggling students to supporting their success.”
NMCN emphasized that while standards must remain high to ensure quality healthcare professionals, it is possible to balance that with compassion and practical support.
While students can now re-sit failed components indefinitely, there are strict conditions:
– Candidates must remain enrolled in the training institution.
– They must maintain at least 80% attendance in academic and clinical activities.
– Institutions will be held accountable for repeated failures, as each unsuccessful attempt will be counted against the school’s overall performance metrics.
The Council urged heads of nursing schools and program directors to implement academic support systems for students struggling to pass.
These might include tutoring programs, remedial classes, additional clinical exposure and mentorship opportunities.
“Heads of institutions must put systems in place to support all students especially those who need more time or help to meet the required standards.”
Previously, the NMCN policy removed candidates from the nursing program after three failed professional exam attempts, a rule that had been criticized for being overly harsh and counterproductive.
