By 2030, nurses will represent two-thirds of Africa’s projected shortfall of 6.1 million health workers, according to Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting Regional Director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO). In a statement marking International Nurses Day, Ihekweazu underscored the urgent need for sustained investment in Africa’s nursing workforce, warning that severe shortages continue to undermine efforts toward universal health coverage.
“Nurses are the foundation of our health systems,” said Ihekweazu. “They are essential every day, and indispensable in times of crisis.”
While nurses make up nearly 70% of the global health workforce, the continent faces a critical imbalance. Africa’s nurse-to-population ratio has improved—from 8.7 per 100,000 in 2018 to 14.1 in 2023—but still remains among the lowest in the world. Compounding the issue is a concerning trend: 42% of nurses in Africa express an intention to emigrate, with many drawn to higher-paying jobs in high-income countries that already employ nearly one in four of their nurses from abroad.
Despite a youthful nursing workforce (43% are under 35), access to mentorship, career growth, and adequate employment remains limited. Ihekweazu warned that constrained national budgets contribute to a 43% health workforce financing gap across African countries, leaving nearly one in three health workers unemployed or underemployed.
He highlighted that although the global nursing workforce has grown to 29.8 million, a disproportionate 80% serve only 49% of the global population. “This imbalance is not just a statistic. It’s a signal of how unevenly care is delivered,” he stressed.
Encouragingly, Ihekweazu noted regional progress. The Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, adopted in May 2024, has led to national dialogues and investment compacts, such as Zimbabwe’s initiative expected to mobilize $166 million annually to strengthen its health workforce.
Looking ahead to the 2025 State of the World’s Nursing Report, Ihekweazu outlined five priority recommendations:
- Expand nursing education, including digital and clinical components;
- Strengthen regulation and introduce advanced practice roles;
- Improve working conditions, including mental health and equitable pay;
- Address the gender pay gap, currently at 7%, in a field where women comprise 85% of workers;
- Invest in nursing leadership and empower Chief Nursing Officers.
“Supporting nurses is not just a health issue—it’s an economic and social imperative,” Ihekweazu concluded, calling on governments and global partners to take concrete steps to empower, protect, and retain Africa’s nursing workforce.