Schools of Nursing and Colleges of Nursing Sciences in Nigeria: How to Choose an Accredited School

Updated October 2026.

Choosing where to train is the first big decision in a nursing career, and the most important question is simple: is the school approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN)? Only students of approved schools, admitted within the school’s quota, can be indexed by the NMCN, sit its professional exams and be licensed.

Routes into nursing in Nigeria

• Basic nursing at a school or college of nursing sciences. Leads to registration as a Registered Nurse (RN). Many former schools of nursing have been upgraded and renamed colleges of nursing sciences.
• A university degree (BNSc). A five-year degree that also leads to professional registration. See our full list of approved universities and quotas.
• Midwifery. Basic midwifery, or post-basic midwifery for registered nurses.
• Community nursing and community midwifery programmes.
• Post-basic specialties for registered nurses, such as perioperative, critical care, paediatric, ophthalmic, psychiatric, accident and emergency, and nurse anaesthesia.

How many approved schools are there?

The NMCN’s most recent published list of approved schools (August 2022) counted 400 approved programmes:

Programme	Approved schools
Basic schools of nursing	117
Basic and post-basic schools of midwifery	111
Post-basic nursing specialties	72
University departments of nursing (BNSc)	43
Community nursing programmes	30
Community midwifery programmes	27

Every state has at least one approved school, usually attached to a teaching, specialist or general hospital, along with mission, private and military schools. The official NMCN document lists every approved school by state with its admission quota. Download it from the link at the end of this article.

Entry requirements

• Five O’level credits (WAEC, NECO or NABTEB) in English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, in no more than two sittings.
• The school’s entrance exam and interview. Colleges of nursing sciences may also require JAMB, so check each school’s current admission notice.
• Post-basic programmes require current registration as a nurse, and often work experience.

How to choose a good school

1. Check NMCN approval and the school’s admission quota on the official list.
2. Ask about the clinical placements. A school attached to a busy teaching hospital gives you better hands-on experience.
3. Ask past students about exam pass rates and whether indexing happened on time.
4. Compare total costs: fees, accommodation, uniforms and exam fees.

Avoid fake admission forms

Every admission season, scammers sell fake nursing school forms and “guaranteed admission” slots. Buy forms only through the school’s official website or bank channel, never through individuals. Genuine schools never sell admission. Read our report on fake forms for the Nigerian Army College of Nursing.

Read also: NMCN guide · 7 reasons to study nursing in Nigeria · Free study library for nursing students

Source: NMCN: List of approved schools with admission quota (August 2022, includes every school by state). Always confirm a school’s current status with the NMCN.