01Become a nurse02NMCN licence03Career, home or abroad
Schools · NMCN licence · Career

The Nigerian nurse’s roadmap, costed and dated

Accredited schools, the NMCN steps from indexing to renewal, and the career after it — specialising at home, or converting your licence abroad if that is your plan. Every fee comes from the regulator’s own page, dated.

last fact-check 2026-09-16 · independent, not the NMCN
The path, in three steps
  1. 1
    Train at an accredited school

    Five credit passes in two sittings. RN takes three years at a school of nursing, BNSc five at a university. Withdrawn and embargoed schools are flagged in our directory.

    Entry routes
  2. 2
    Index, sit the professional exam, register

    Indexing with the NMCN at the start of training, the qualifying exam at the end, then registration and periodic licence renewal.

    Licensing guide
  3. 3
    Build the career: specialise, renew, or convert abroad

    33 institutions on the NMCN register run post-basic programmes in 13 specialties, from anaesthesia to nephrology. Renew your licence every three years. Working abroad (UK NMC, US NCLEX-RN, Gulf Prometric) is a costed option, not the default.

    If abroad: routes

Admission trackers

All 13 cycles

Every fact on a tracker shows its source and as-of date. No genuine college sells admission through agents; pay only on the official portal.

Guides

Fact-check date on every page

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a nurse in Nigeria?
A basic Registered Nurse (RN) programme at a school of nursing typically takes three years. A university Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) typically takes five years. Both routes lead to NMCN registration. Full breakdown →
What is NMCN indexing?
Indexing is registering a student nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria at the start of training, so the Council recognises you as eligible to sit the professional qualifying examination. How indexing works →
What can I do after NMCN registration in Nigeria?
Practise as an RN or RM, then specialise. The NMCN register (Dec 2025) lists post-basic programmes at 33 institutions in specialties such as accident & emergency, peri-operative, paediatric, ophthalmic, orthopaedic, nephrology, critical care and nurse anaesthesia. Diploma holders can also top up to a BNSc. Your licence is renewed every three years. Licensing and renewal →
Can a Nigerian-trained nurse work in the UK or USA?
Yes, if that is your plan. Nigerian RNs register with the UK NMC (CBT + OSCE) or pass the US NCLEX-RN, subject to English-language and qualification requirements. See the routes abroad → or compare them in UK vs USA vs Gulf.
Is nursing.ng affiliated with the NMCN?
No. Nursing.ng is an independent education resource. We link to official bodies (NMCN, NMC, NCSBN) for forms, fees and verification — always confirm time-sensitive details there.
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