UK orders Nigerian nurses under investigation for exam fraud to leave

The United Kingdom’s Home Office has instructed several Nigerian nurses under investigation for alleged examination fraud to leave the country.

According to Nursing Times, the affected nurses, who are still awaiting the outcome of their appeals, have had their visas revoked and have been given notices to depart as early as next week.

The directive comes amid an ongoing investigation by the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into suspected malpractice at Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The inquiry, which began in 2023, was launched after the NMC detected irregularities in the computer-based test (CBT) required for foreign nurses seeking registration in the UK. The CBT, a crucial step in the UK’s nursing qualification process, is typically taken in candidates’ home countries.

Following its probe, the NMC reported that 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants may have obtained their test results fraudulently at the Yunnik centre. As a result, all test results from the centre were deemed invalid.

The NMC previously stated that each affected individual’s case would be reviewed by an independent panel to determine whether fraud was committed.

In February 2025, around 50 of the impacted individuals issued a pre-action protocol letter to the NMC, accusing the council of intentionally delaying their hearings. They also urged the NMC to collaborate with the Home Office to allow them to remain in the UK while their appeals are being considered.