UK Orders Nigerian Nurses Accused of Exam Fraud to Leave Amid Ongoing Investigation

The UK Home Office has directed several Nigerian nurses under investigation for alleged examination fraud to leave the country, even as they await the outcome of their appeals. Reports from Nursing Times confirm that these nurses have had their visas revoked and have received official letters instructing them to exit the UK starting next week.

This move comes amid an ongoing probe by the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into suspected test malpractice at the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria. The investigation, which began in 2023, was initiated after the NMC identified unusual data patterns in the computer-based test (CBT) results submitted by foreign nursing applicants. The CBT is a critical step in the UK registration process and is typically taken in applicants’ home countries.

As a result of the investigation, the NMC declared all test results from the Yunnik centre invalid. Findings revealed that 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants may have obtained their test results fraudulently. The NMC announced that each case would be reviewed individually by an independent panel to assess whether actual fraud occurred.

In February 2025, around 50 of the affected individuals filed a pre-action protocol letter accusing the NMC of deliberately delaying their hearings. They also appealed to the NMC to collaborate with the Home Office to allow them to remain in the UK while their cases are reviewed.