NMCN verification for Nigerian nurses going abroad: how it works and what NMCN doesn't publish
Foreign nursing regulators such as those in Alberta, Ireland and the UK ask for proof of your registration from your home regulator, and for a Nigerian nurse that is the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). This guide covers how that step works, what each destination asks for, and what ELAB confirms with NMCN before you pay.
What NMCN verification is
NMCN verification is NMCN confirming your registration details to a regulator or institution abroad. A Certificate or Letter of Good Standing is a related document that says your registration is in good standing. On NMCN's licence portal the service is listed as Verification/Certificate of Good Standing.
It is not the same thing as DataFlow. DataFlow verifies your education and other credentials with the issuing authorities. NMCN verification is the council confirming your registration. A destination may want both.
How you apply
NMCN moved verification online in 2021. Online applications were announced to begin on 25 May 2021, for NMC UK only, and began in June 2021. From 1 September 2021 NMCN accepts only online applications for all types of verification, and paper applications were accepted only if submitted by 31 August 2021. You start on the NMCN licence portal at licence.nmcn.gov.ng.
- Sign-up on the portal asks you to choose your specialty, enter your registration number as it appears on your certificate or notification, and confirm a code sent to your registered phone number and email.
- The portal asks you to complete your Professional Update Form (PUF), and applicants without one cannot apply for online verification.
- You pay online, then fill in the application form and upload the documents on the portal. The application asks for the purpose and destination.
The documents NMCN has traditionally asked for are an application letter stating the purpose and destination, a completed verification form, a copy of your current licence, copies of your certificates of registration, a birth certificate or declaration of age, and the payment receipt. ELAB confirms which of these the portal asks you to upload for your file.
What the destination asks for
The destination regulator decides how NMCN's evidence must reach it, and they differ:
- The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) requires verification documents to come directly from your current regulatory body.
- Ireland's NMBI asks you to obtain a Certificate of Current Professional Status, also called a Certificate of Good Standing, from the competent authority and upload it. The issue date must fall within the 6 months before you submit.
- The NMC in the UK asks you for your regulator's details so that your regulator can provide the supporting declaration. Some regulators ask for a fee.
NMCN verifies registration for foreign boards, and how the evidence reaches each foreign regulator differs. ELAB confirms with the destination which route it accepts before we apply.
The 2024 conditions
In 2024 NMCN set verification conditions dated 7 February 2024 and effective 1 March 2024: two years after qualification counted from the date of your permanent practising licence, provisional licences rejected, a licence with at least six months left, certificates of registration accepted but not notifications, and a minimum processing time of six months. Lawmakers called for NMCN to suspend implementation.
ELAB confirms the current conditions with NMCN for your file before we submit. You can also ask NMCN directly through the Support form on the licence portal or at info@nmcn.gov.ng, and keep its reply.
What it costs
NMCN's fee for verification is ₦66,875 per certificate from 1 September 2021, and the NMCN portal currently charges ₦68,875. The figure the portal shows at payment is the one you pay. The foreign regulator may charge its own fee as well, and ELAB's service fee is separate.
Where ELAB fits
If you use ELAB for NMCN verification, we take the process end to end:
- Check which route and which documents your destination accepts.
- Prepare and submit the NMCN application and handle the payment.
- Follow it up with NMCN and tell you where it stands.
NMCN's portal sends its codes to the phone number and email registered on your licence, so we'll need those from you, and your licence and Professional Update Form must be current. We can't promise a result or a date. NMCN decides on your verification, and the destination regulator decides what it accepts.
Common questions
Is NMCN verification the same as DataFlow verification?
No. DataFlow verifies your education and other credentials with their issuers. NMCN verification is the council confirming your registration. A destination can ask for both.
Where do I apply for NMCN verification?
On the NMCN licence portal at licence.nmcn.gov.ng, where the service is listed as Verification/Certificate of Good Standing. Only online applications have been accepted since 1 September 2021.
What is a Certificate of Good Standing?
A document from your regulator saying your registration is in good standing. Some regulators, such as Ireland's NMBI, ask you to obtain it and upload it. Others, such as CRNA in Alberta, want proof sent directly from your regulator.
Do the 2024 NMCN verification rules still apply?
ELAB confirms the current conditions with NMCN for your file before we submit. The 2024 conditions included two years after qualification counted from your permanent practising licence. You can also ask NMCN before you pay.
How long does NMCN verification take?
ELAB doesn't promise a processing time for verification sent abroad. We follow your file with NMCN and tell you where it stands.
Can NMCN send my verification straight to the foreign regulator?
NMCN verifies registration for foreign boards, including NMC UK. How it is delivered and what each destination accepts differ, so ELAB confirms the route with the destination first.
Your next step
Send us your registration details, where you are applying and what that regulator has asked for, and we'll tell you what to do next.