Analyzing the Brain Drain of Nigerian Nurses to the United Kingdom: A Narrative Review of Challenges and Efforts to Address the Phenomenon

Abstract

The migration of skilled professionals from low- and middle-income countries to developed nations, commonly called the “brain drain,” has emerged as a significant political, social, and economic issue in the healthcare sector, particularly among nurses. This paper aims to analyze the emigration of Nigerian nurses to the United Kingdom, the immediate challenges, and the efforts to address the issue. A narrative review approach was employed, which involved the identification of relevant literature utilizing search terms with various Boolean combinations derived from multiple electronic databases, organizational websites, and major news outlets. The results revealed that in the last 3 years (2022–2024), about 42,000 nurses have left Nigeria, with a large number moving to the United Kingdom, accounting for the largest portion of the NHS nursing workforce from sub-Saharan Africa in Great Britain. This accelerated emigration rate from Nigeria has been influenced by occupational dissatisfaction, sociopolitical instability, and inadequate social welfare provisions. This unbalanced emigration has caused a severe shortage of nurses in Nigeria, weakening the nation's healthcare system. As a result, there is an increased workload, lower quality of care, and ultimately, a negative impact on the morbidity and mortality rate. Therefore, it is recommended that the country reconsider its approach to manpower management by integrating technology and implementing policies to prolong nurses’ retention and retirement age. Additionally, there is a need for research in nursing to assess the impact and effectiveness of existing policies and to develop strategies for controlling the emigration of nurses.