The Catholic Nurses’ Guild of Nigeria (CNGN) is an affiliate of CICIAMS. It was founded in the 1960s by the then Chief Nursing Officer at the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos, Mrs. Stella George. It was then operated at the hospitals level. TheGuild then started to spread to the various mission hospitals around the country particularly to Enugu, Owo and St. Luke’s Hospital Anua, Uyo in the present Akwa Ibom state. With this spread, it became necessary to have the guild centrally. Thus, in the early 1980s a group of Catholic Nurses decided to come together to form what is today National Executive Council was formed with Mrs. Olurin as the first National first President and Rev. Sr. Stella Maris Okonkwo as the first National Executive Secretary. A new structure and organogram was then created. Thus, the units which were hospital based now changed to provincial and diocesan. A constitution was drafted and was approved after due process bythe Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on the 10th of March, 1987. The Constitution has undergone several reviews over the years. Mrs. Olurin, the first National President was however succeeded in 1991 during the first National congress held in Owerri by Rev. Mother Mary Joseph Uzoigwe while Mr. Daniel. Cyang succeeded Rev. Sr. Stella Okonkwo as the second National Secretary.

In Sept., 1996 during the 2nd National conference of the Guild held in Ikot Ekpene, another election was conducted with Mrs. Immaculata Love Amaseimogha (J.P), emerging as the 3rd National President while Knight Linus E. Udofia was elected as the 3rd National Secretary. the 3rd batch of national officers ruled from 1996 to 2005 when another Exco was constituted through an electoral process in October 2005, during the 18th Annual National Conference held in Lagos. Mrs. Juliana Ezenwa was elected president while Mr. Donatus Akpan was elected Secretary.

The Guild now has 48 dioceses as federating units with a total membership population of about 462.

In 2009,the 6th National Administrative Council of the Guild was inaugurated with Mrs. Juliana Nwazuruoke from Onitsha Arch diocese, as the president while Mr. Donatus Akpan, from Ikot Ekpene Diocese, was inaugurated as the 6th National Executive Secretary. This council members were succeeded by the 7th council in 2012. Mrs. Rosalyn I. Okoobo from Benin Archdiocese, became the 7th elected president, while Mrs. Dorothy N. Ossai, from Abuja Archdiocese, was the 7th elected Secretary. They were however re-elected for a second term in 2015 and were in office till 2018, when another election was anticipated.

At the internationalscene, in 2012, during the 5th English Speaking African Regional congress of CICIAMS, two members of the guild were elected into CICIAMS Executive Board. They were Mrs. Juliana Nwazuruoke who became the English speaking African Regional president and Mr. Donatus Akpan who was elected CICIAMS Ethics Committee Chairman. They both served diligently for the four years statutory tenure. Two years later, during the 19th world Congress of CICIAMS held in Dublin, Ireland, Mr. Donatus Akpan, was elected CICIAMS SecretaryGeneral, a position he is still occupying to date, 2018

 ACHIEVEMENTS:
One of the greatest achievements of the guild within its period of existence is that of acting as a unifying force for all Catholic Nurses in Nigeria.

The Guild is in strong affiliation with CICIAMS and has adequate representation.

The Guild hosted successfully, the 3rd Anglophone Regional Conference of CICIAMS in 2004.

Conducts annual seminars, workshops and conferences to update professional as well as spiritual knowledge of members.

Publishes aneducative and informative magazine. The VOCANON, annually.

Successfully opened a website: www.catholicnursesnigeria.website/index.html

Gives health education and services in the various dioceses and parishes.

The guild however has a pet program tagged Friends of the Elderly. The program is aimed at caring for and alleviating the sufferings of the elderly in our various parishes, particularly those who are ill and or vulnerable.

Some members of the guild are undergoing training in Naprotechnology, with the aim of establishing Natural Fertility Centres across the country, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike who need such services. The guild is fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria( CAC ) as a Nom- Governmental Organization ( NGO ).