Nursing council inducts 111 first graduates of MAAUN Kano

Maryam Abacha University of Nigeria (MAAUN) in Kano has produced its first set of nursing graduates. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) inducted 111 of them at a ceremony on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, held at the Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed Twin Theatre.

The oath-taking was the university's first for nursing. It matters to ordinary Nigerians because the country's hospitals and clinics continue to face a shortage of trained nurses, and each new set of graduates adds hands to a stretched workforce.

After administering the oath, the council's Registrar, Dr Alhassan Ndagi, congratulated the inductees. He asked them to treat every patient with dignity and to keep to the standards of the profession.

Ndagi also advised the new nurses to keep learning, take part in professional development programmes and get comfortable with new technology, which he said modern healthcare now depends on. He warned them to be careful with social media.

Internship before full practice

The registrar explained that the oath and certification do not mean the graduates can start work immediately. Each must first complete a compulsory one-year internship at an accredited health facility in the country.

The founder of the MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, congratulated the nurses and urged them to represent the university well wherever they go. He said the university is committed to producing professionals who can stand beside their peers anywhere in the world.

MAAUN President Prof. Mohammad Israr described nursing as one of the most respected professions, built on compassion and sacrifice. "Nurses are the backbone of healthcare systems, providing care, comfort and hope to patients and their families," he said.

The Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr Umar Lawal Bello, called the ceremony the start of a new chapter for the graduates and thanked the founder and management for their support.

Prof. S. N. Garba of Bayero University, Kano, delivered the induction lecture, titled "Improving the Image of the Nursing Profession Through Sustaining Its Core Values". He listed the values he said ethical training should instil: selflessness, professionalism and clinical independence, respect for human dignity and speaking up for patients, integrity, and leadership and teamwork.

Outstanding students received awards for their academic performance, and people who helped the students succeed were also honoured. University management, parents, guests and nursing professionals from across the country attended.

What happens next: The 111 inductees will now look for accredited health facilities for their one-year internships. Only after that can they practise fully as nurses.