UK Nursing: NMC Fee Rises to £143 as Nigerian Nurses Joining the Register Fall by a Third

This article is part of our guide: Work as a nurse in the UK.

If you’re a Nigerian nurse planning a move to the United Kingdom, two things changed this year that you should know about. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the body that registers every nurse and midwife who works in the UK, has raised its annual fee for the first time in more than a decade. And its latest data show that far fewer nurses trained in Nigeria, India and other countries are joining the UK register than a year ago.

Here’s what changed, what it costs, and what it means for your plans.

The NMC annual fee is now £143

From 1 October 2026, the NMC’s annual registration fee went up from £120 to £143. Every nurse, midwife and nursing associate on the UK register pays this fee once a year to stay registered and keep working.

Which fee you pay depends on when your payment reminder arrives, not when your renewal date falls:

• If your reminder arrived before 1 October 2026, you pay the old fee of £120.
• If it arrived on or after 1 October 2026, you pay £143.
• Reminders are sent 90 days before renewal in a revalidation year, and 60 days before in other years.

You can pay in one go by debit or credit card, or spread it across four quarterly payments by UK Direct Debit through your MyNMC account. Instalments aren’t available by card.

Budgeting tip: the annual fee is only one cost of working in the UK. If you’re still applying from Nigeria, also budget for your English test, the NMC application and test of competence, visa fees and the immigration health surcharge. Check each one on the official websites before you pay, because fees change.

Fewer Nigerian nurses are joining the UK register

The NMC’s annual register report, published on 29 July 2026 and covering April 2025 to March 2026, shows that the international recruitment boom of recent years is slowing sharply.

• Nigeria: 1,614 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives joined the register, down 31.7% from 2,363 the year before. Nigeria is still the UK’s second-largest source of overseas nurses.
• India: still the largest source, with 4,215 joiners, but down 54.4%.
• Ghana: now third, with 1,391 joiners, down 22%.
• The Philippines dropped out of the top three for the first time since 2015-16.
• Internationally educated professionals made up 26.4% of all new joiners, down from 39.1% the year before and a peak of 49.4% in 2023-24.

The UK register itself is still growing, reaching a record 867,935 professionals, but growth roughly halved. Total new joiners fell 21.4% while the number of people leaving rose 5.3%.

Why the numbers are falling

Several things are behind the drop. NHS employers are recruiting fewer nurses from abroad after years of heavy international hiring. Nurses’ unions have also pointed to tougher UK immigration rules, including the ban on recruiting overseas care workers and stricter English language requirements.

There’s also a rule that matters specifically to Nigerian nurses: Nigeria is on the UK’s “red list” of countries facing severe health worker shortages. Under the UK’s international recruitment code, employers and agencies must not actively recruit nurses from red-list countries. The NMC is urging employers to follow that code.

The red list doesn’t stop you from applying yourself. Nigerian nurses can still apply directly for advertised UK jobs and register with the NMC. What it means in practice:

• UK employers and agencies shouldn’t approach you or run recruitment drives targeting Nigerian nurses.
• You’ll usually need to find and apply for jobs yourself.
• Be very careful with any agent who promises a guaranteed UK job for a fee. That’s a common sign of a scam.

What this means for you

The UK route is still open, but it’s more competitive than it was two or three years ago. If you’re preparing now:

1. Get your NMCN documents sorted early. Verification of your Nigerian licence and certificates can take time.
2. Prepare seriously for your English test. Our IELTS resource library has free practice materials.
3. Apply only to real, advertised jobs, and check the employer through official NHS job sites.
4. Budget for the full cost, including the new £143 annual fee once you’re registered.
5. Look at other routes too. Read our guide on how Canada is fast-tracking African doctors and nurses.

Bottom line

Working as a nurse in the UK now costs a little more each year, and fewer Nigerian nurses are making the move than at the height of the recruitment boom. The door hasn’t closed, but nurses who prepare early, apply directly and avoid shortcuts will have the best chance.

Are you a Nigerian nurse working in the UK, or in the middle of the process? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

Sources: NMC: Change to the annual registration fees; NMC annual register report, July 2026; Nursing in Practice.