The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, has restated   government’s commitment to standardising Nursing and Midwifery education as a critical pillar for strengthening healthcare delivery.

Dr. Coker, made the declaration at the 2026 Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria Florence Nightingale State Level Essay, Speech and Quiz Contest in Abeokuta, describing the programme as a strategic platform for grooming competent, evidence-driven and compassionate nursing professionals.

She said the competition aligned with the present administration’s broader investment in human capital development and its vision of building a resilient, people-centred healthcare system anchored on professional excellence.

While commending the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the Department of Nursing Services in the State for sustaining initiatives that had promoted continuous professional development, the Commissioner reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to improving nursing education.

“Florence Nightingale’s enduring vision reminds us that nursing excellence is built on scientific evidence, discipline and compassion, and we remain committed to investing in the education, training and professional growth of nurses and midwives, whom we recognise as the backbone of a resilient, people-centred healthcare system,” she said.

In her welcome address, the Director of Nursing Services, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Dr. Serifat Aminu, said the contest was designed to promote critical thinking, sound clinical reasoning and compassionate leadership among future nurses and midwives.

She noted that the revitalisation of the Florence Nightingale initiative by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria had strengthened it as a national platform for academic excellence, leadership development and professional confidence within the nursing and midwifery professions.

Reacting after the competition, some of the participants, including Ipaye Ayomide and Ugwu Amarachi, described the experience as enriching, expressed gratitude to the organisers, and pledged to continue applying the knowledge gained to their academic android professional development.

The contest featured nursing students from various institutions across the State, with Samuel Ayebadiepriye and Roqeebah Onigbanjo emerging as winners and set to represent the State at the Zonal competition scheduled to hold later in the year.