Data shows scale of Nigerian health worker exodus: 10,494 Nigerians working in UK’s NHS

A total of 10,494 Nigerians are listed among staff in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), according to a report by Premium Times, citing data from NHS Million, a UK campaign organisation. Nigeria ranked sixth overall, behind the UK/British, India, the Philippines, Ireland and Poland, making it the largest African nationality in the NHS workforce breakdown. Zimbabwe followed with 4,780 African nationals, then Ghana, Egypt and South Africa.

The figures come amid persistent concerns over Nigeria’s health worker shortage. The 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report showed over 20,000 Nigerian health workers, including nearly 4,000 doctors and over 7,000 nurses and midwives, relocated abroad within a year. Nigeria currently has 95,456 registered doctors, but only 60,551 hold active practising licences.

The UK remains a top destination, with 4,691 Nigerian-trained doctors joining its medical register between May 2023 and April 2026. Nigeria approved a National Policy on Health Workforce Migration in August 2024, but its implementation has yet to fully commence, the report noted.