A total of 14 contestants from states across the Southwest Zone have participated in the 2026 Southwest Zonal Florence Nightingale Essay and Speech Competition of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria held in Abeokuta.

The event, organised by the Council, featured participants from Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun and Kwara States, who competed in both essay and speech categories aimed at strengthening intellectual engagement and professional excellence in nursing practice.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, reaffirmed the Ogun State Government’s commitment to sustained investment in the healthcare system, particularly in human capital development, recognising nurses and midwives as the backbone of a resilient and people-centred health system.

Represented by the Director of Administration and Supplies in the Ministry of the Health, Mrs. Bose Olaniyan, the Commissioner noted that this year’s theme, “Advancing Nursing Excellence Through Evidence-Based Practice and Compassionate Leadership,” underscores the need to integrate scientific knowledge with empathy, discipline and ethical leadership in nursing practice.

She stated that excellence in nursing is not accidental but rooted in professionalism and the enduring values associated with Florence Nightingale, whose legacy continues to shape modern healthcare delivery.

Dr. Coker commended the contestants for advancing to the zonal stage, recalling that the exercise began at the state level where top performers emerged to represent their respective states. She described their presence at the competition as a testament to dedication, hard work and professional promise.

According to her, the competition goes beyond intellectual engagement, as it nurtures critical thinking, communication skills, confidence and integrity—qualities essential for the next generation of nursing leaders.

In her welcome address, the Director of Nursing Services, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Dr. Serifat Aminu, observed that the theme resonates strongly in an era of rapid technological advancement in healthcare. She noted that the competition represents not only academic excellence but also the future direction of nursing in the Southwest Zone and Nigeria at large.

Also speaking, the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr. Ndagi Alhassan, who was represented by the Head of Data Unit of the Council, Dr. Modupe Ayoola, explained that the Florence Nightingale Competition is strategically designed to promote intellectual discourse on contemporary nursing issues, including healthcare delivery, ethics, leadership innovation and professional accountability.

In their goodwill messages, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Ogun State chapter, Adejoke Bello, and the Director of Nursing Services, Ekiti State, Mrs. Foluke Olaiya, described the initiative as laudable and a landmark development in the advancement of the nursing profession.

The essay segment of the competition focused on the topic, “Legal Challenges in Documenting Nursing Care Accurately,” while Miss Glory Olubode of Bowen University, Osun State, emerged overall winner and will represent the Southwest Zone at the national competition scheduled to hold in Abuja in April.