Dare Babalola
The Federal Government has introduced a new five-year framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s midwifery workforce and addressing an estimated shortfall of 30,000 practitioners as part of efforts to reduce maternal and infant deaths across the country.
The initiative, known as the Nigeria Strategic Direction for Midwifery 2025–2030, was officially unveiled in Abuja during activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Midwife.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Assistant Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako.
Speaking at the launch, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said the administration was rolling out targeted measures to close the manpower gap in the profession and improve healthcare outcomes for mothers and newborns.
Represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Dr. Abisola Adegoke, the minister said the government would expand existing training institutions, admit more students into midwifery programmes, and upgrade the standard of education in line with international best practices.
He explained that the strategy was designed not only to increase the number of trained midwives but also to modernise the profession through standardised training and stronger professional support systems.
According to him, the roadmap also includes plans to create employment opportunities for newly trained personnel, remove obstacles delaying recruitment, and ensure fair distribution of midwives across the country, especially in rural and underserved areas where maternal mortality remains high.
Pate further stated that authorities would intensify competency-based training, continuous professional development, and targeted interventions in high-risk communities through the Maternal Mortality Reduction Initiative.
He stressed that no healthcare system could effectively deliver quality maternal and child health services without a sufficient number of competent midwives.
He noted that midwives remain one of the most critical pillars of healthcare delivery, particularly in pregnancy care, childbirth support, and newborn survival.
Also speaking at the event, the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr. Ndagi Alhassan, said urgent investment in workforce development and quality education was necessary to reverse Nigeria’s troubling maternal and child mortality figures.
He said Nigeria continues to rank among countries with the highest burden of maternal and infant deaths globally.
Quoting data from the World Health Organisation and the World Bank, Alhassan stated that one out of every four maternal deaths recorded worldwide occurs in Nigeria.
He added that beyond increasing enrolment in training institutions, the country must improve working conditions and empower midwives to practise effectively.
According to him, practitioners need an enabling environment where they can work with dignity, autonomy, and access to the right tools and facilities.
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Haruna Mamman, also described the estimated shortage of 30,000 midwives as a serious challenge to the health sector.
Represented by the association’s FCT Chairman, Jama Medan, Mamman blamed the gap on poor funding for training programmes and inadequate support systems.
He said insufficient attention to professional training had weakened the pipeline of skilled midwives needed across the country.
He called on the government to prioritise improved welfare packages, better working conditions, and sustained investment in training, saying such steps would significantly reduce preventable maternal deaths.
The 2026 International Day of the Midwife is themed “One Million More Midwives,” drawing global attention to the shortage of skilled birth attendants and the urgent need for more investment in the profession.
Health stakeholders say expanding the midwifery workforce remains one of the most effective and affordable ways to improve maternal and child healthcare outcomes in Nigeria.
They added that the success of the newly launched strategy would depend largely on consistent implementation, adequate funding, and strong political commitment.
