The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a five‑year national strategy aimed at closing an estimated shortfall of 30,000 midwives, a critical step in the country’s effort to reduce persistently high maternal and infant mortality rates. The “Nigeria Strategic Direction for Midwifery 2025–2030” was unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday as part of the 2026 International Day of the Midwife celebrations.
The plan was presented by Prof. Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, who described it as a “deliberate and strategic” response to the workforce gap. According to Minister Pate, the roadmap will expand training institutions, increase enrolment capacity, and modernise curricula to meet international standards. He added that the strategy will streamline recruitment, create new employment opportunities, and ensure the equitable deployment of midwives, particularly in rural and underserved areas where maternal deaths are most prevalent.
Key actions outlined in the strategy include:
* Scaling up competency‑based training and continuous professional development for practising midwives.
* Integrating midwifery education with the Maternal Mortality Reduction Initiative to target high‑burden regions.
* Standardising qualifications and modernising teaching resources to align with global best practices.
Dr Abisola Adegoke, Director of Hospital Services, confirmed that the Ministry is already expanding the number of accredited training centres and raising student intake for midwifery programmes. The government also intends to remove bottlene‑cks in recruitment and to deploy midwives more evenly across the country.
The launch comes amid stark maternal health statistics. Data from the World Health Organization and the World Bank indicate that Nigeria accounts for one in every four maternal deaths worldwide. The Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr Ndagi Alhassan, warned that without urgent investment in workforce development and quality education, the trend is unlikely to reverse. He stressed the need for an enabling work environment that provides midwives with autonomy, adequate tools, and dignified conditions.
Haruna Mamman, President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, echoed these concerns, citing chronic under‑funding of training programmes and weak support systems as primary contributors to the 30,000‑midwife shortfall. Mamman urged the government to prioritise welfare improvements and sustained financing for education, noting that such measures would markedly lower maternal mortality.
The International Day of the Midwife, themed “One Million More Midwives,” underscores the global shortage of skilled birth attendants and the cost‑effectiveness of expanding the midwifery workforce to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Health experts within Nigeria agree that the success of the new strategy will depend on consistent implementation, adequate funding, and political commitment to close the workforce gap and prevent avoidable deaths during childbirth.
