Posted on: Fri 26-12-2025

BRIEFING NOTE TO ALL MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTITIONERS
IMPROVEMENTS TO PREVENT END OF YEAR LICENSING GLITCHES AND ENSURE SMOOTH ANNUAL RENEWAL AND UPDATING OF PROFILES TOWARDS FINALISING THE MASTER REGISTER

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria MDCN remains committed to strengthening service delivery by ensuring a faster more reliable and stress free licence renewal process for all practitioners. In response to the recurring surge in applications and system congestion usually experienced towards the end of each year the Council has taken proactive steps to upgrade and stabilise the renewal system.

The following measures have now been implemented.

System upgrade and enhanced server capacity
The renewal portal has been upgraded through code optimisation and performance improvements. This has resulted in faster processing reduced downtime and fewer system errors especially during peak usage periods.

Real time payment confirmation and automated annual licence approval
For practitioners whose portal profiles and payments are fully up to date payment verification digital receipt generation and licence issuance are now fully automated. Licences for any subsequent year will however be issued from the fourth quarter of each year to allow sufficient time for completion of Continuous Medical Education for that year. This automation reduces human intervention and minimises delays previously caused by high system traffic or staff workload.

Introduction of the continuous renewal window from January to December
Practitioners can now renew their licences at any time during the year. Licences are issued in the fourth quarter and remain valid for twelve months starting from the first day of January of the following year. This approach significantly reduces the traditional December rush and distributes renewal traffic more evenly across the year. In support of this initiative MDCN conducted sustained outreach and engagement with practitioners throughout 2025 for the 2026 practising licence renewal and Additional Qualification registrations.

Strengthened support channels
A dedicated support team has been established to provide timely assistance to practitioners. This includes a helpdesk email for technical issues. Support requests should be sent to [email protected] clearly stating the issue and the practitioner MDCN folio number. Work is ongoing to upgrade all information and communication technology infrastructure to include a service desk support system that ensures real time assistance for practitioners experiencing challenges.

Integration with the Master Register and ARCHIVE25 Project
Ongoing digital reforms are addressing systemic factors that previously contributed to renewal delays. The ARCHIVE25 Project which is MDCN flagship records transformation initiative is designed to convert legacy physical records into a structured and easy to retrieve file management system alongside a secure digital archiving platform compliant with ISO IEC 27001 Information Security Management System standards. This initiative strengthens credential verification improves data integrity and enhances overall operational efficiency. The Master Register and its components are fully integrated within the ARCHIVE25 records framework.

Enhanced cybersecurity and data integrity
MDCN has adopted modern data security protocols aligned with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation and ISO IEC Information Security Management System readiness. These measures ensure secure transactions protect practitioner information and strengthen overall data integrity.

What practitioners should do
Practitioners are advised not to wait until December to renew their annual practising licence. Portal profile details should be kept up to date to enhance automated processing. Only official support channels should be used when seeking guidance or assistance. Digital copies of renewal receipts and licences should be kept for personal records. In the event of technical challenges practitioners should confirm internet connectivity and data access. Duplicate payments should be avoided as refunds may attract administrative charges.

Please note
Since the fourth quarter of 2024 MDCN has granted waivers on surcharges for late registration of Additional Qualifications and outstanding annual practising licence fees. This measure was introduced to enable practitioners to update their records and ensure accurate reflection in the Master Register. It remains an offence to practise without a current annual practising licence. With effect from the first day of January 2026 all late payments will attract surcharges in line with the regulations contained in the Registration Guidelines.

These improvements reflect MDCN commitment to efficient regulation improved practitioner experience and a modernised licensing system. Practitioners are encouraged to take advantage of the enhanced renewal window and avoid the traditional end of year congestion.

Signed
Management

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