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Echoes in an Empty Hall: How Brain Drain Is Silencing Nursing Education in Nigeria

Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing a profound and escalating crisis driven by the mass migration of nurses and nurse educators to developed countries. While the consequences of brain drain on clinical healthcare delivery have received significant attention, it’s devastating impact on nursing education remains underexplored. Across nursing schools and universities in Nigeria, lecture halls are becoming quieter, classrooms are increasingly understaffed, and experienced educators are disappearing from institutions that once nurtured generations of healthcare professionals. This phenomenon threatens the sustainability of nursing education, compromises the quality of healthcare workforce development, and undermines national efforts toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This paper examines the causes, consequences, and implications of brain drain on nursing education in Nigeria and proposes strategic interventions to address the growing crisis.

Keywords: Nursing Education, Brain Drain, Global Practice, Nigeria, Nursing Practice.