Lagos State hosts one of the largest concentrations of nursing training institutions in Nigeria, ranging from hospital-based Schools of Nursing to full university degree programmes. All genuine nursing training providers in the state must carry accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the statutory body responsible for approving and regulating nursing education across the country. This article lists the approved nursing training options in Lagos, explains the difference between the pathways available, and breaks down what each option costs.
What Makes a Nursing School “Approved” in Nigeria
Before enrolling in any nursing programme, a prospective student must confirm that the institution holds valid accreditation from the NMCN, since this accreditation is what qualifies a graduate to sit for the professional licensing examination and register as a practicing nurse. The NMCN grants two categories of accreditation status: full accreditation, which lasts five years, and provisional accreditation, which lasts two years and requires the school to meet additional benchmarks before it can be upgraded. In cases where a school falls short of the council’s standards, the NMCN can place an indefinite embargo on new student intake until the identified deficiencies are corrected and a fresh resource verification visit confirms improvement.
Nigeria currently has roughly 290 nursing training institutions recognised by the council nationwide, and Lagos State alone hosts a meaningful cluster of these, spanning federal, state, and private ownership. Before applying anywhere, a candidate should verify a school’s current accreditation status directly on the NMCN’s official list of approved schools, since accreditation status can change from one review cycle to another.
Two Main Pathways Into Nursing in Lagos
Nursing education in Lagos generally follows one of two structural pathways, and understanding the difference matters both for planning and for cost expectations.
The first pathway is the hospital-embedded College or School of Nursing, which is typically attached to a teaching hospital or a state-run hospital complex. These institutions run a Basic Nursing programme leading to the Registered Nurse (RN) qualification, often alongside a Basic Midwifery track leading to Registered Midwife (RM) status. This route tends to be more budget-friendly overall, since it concentrates costs on core tuition, uniforms, and clinical consumables rather than the broader tuition and faculty levy structure of a full university.
The second pathway is the university Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc) degree, offered through university faculties of medicine or colleges of health sciences. This route produces a full university degree in addition to RN, RM, and in some cases Registered Public Health Nurse (PHN) qualifications, but it generally costs more overall because it carries standard university tuition plus laboratory, clinical, and departmental charges spread across multiple academic levels.
List of Approved Nursing Training Institutions in Lagos State
The table below summarises the leading NMCN-approved nursing training options available in Lagos, along with their ownership type and the general pathway each follows.
| Institution | Ownership | Pathway | Programme Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos State College of Nursing (LASCON), Igando | State-owned | Hospital/College-embedded | Basic Nursing, Basic Midwifery, Public Health Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba | Federal (teaching hospital) | Hospital-embedded | Basic Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health Nursing |
| College of Nursing, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi | Federal (specialist hospital) | Hospital-embedded | Basic Nursing, Post-Basic Orthopaedic Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Military Hospital, Yaba | Federal/Military | Hospital-embedded | Basic Nursing, Post-Basic Nursing (Midwifery, Psychiatry, Paediatrics) |
| School of Nursing, Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island | Private | Hospital-embedded | Basic Nursing (RN) |
| University of Lagos, College of Medicine (Idi-Araba) | Federal university | University degree route | Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc) |
| Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja | State university | University degree route | Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc) |
| Anchor University, Lagos | Private university | University degree route | Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc) |
| School of Post Basic Nursing, LUTH (various specialties) | Federal (teaching hospital) | Post-basic specialisation | Ophthalmic, Peri-Operative, Accident & Emergency Nursing, and others |
| School of Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba | Federal specialist hospital | Post-basic specialisation | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing |
Candidates targeting basic entry-level nursing (straight from secondary school) should focus on the hospital-embedded colleges and the university B.NSc programmes. The post-basic specialisation schools, on the other hand, are only open to candidates who are already Registered Nurses seeking an additional certification in a specific clinical area.
School Fees at Lagos State College of Nursing (LASCON)
LASCON, located within the Alimosho General Hospital complex in Igando, is one of the most recognised state-owned nursing colleges in Lagos and is often cited as one of the more budget-friendly entry points into the profession. For the current academic session, new students at LASCON pay a total that generally falls between ₦385,000 and ₦435,000, covering tuition, acceptance charges, application processing, and standard miscellaneous fees. Returning students typically pay a slightly lower figure, closer to ₦385,000 annually, since some one-off charges that apply to freshers do not repeat in subsequent years.
Beyond the core school fees, new students at LASCON are also expected to arrive with additional out-of-pocket charges at check-in, which have included a Nurses Student Union due of around ₦5,000, a school uniform charge in the region of ₦45,000 (subject to review based on prevailing costs), and a medical screening fee of about ₦35,000. These figures are separate from the main tuition invoice and should be budgeted for independently.
School Fees for Hospital-Based Schools of Nursing (LUTH, Igbobi, Military Hospital)
Hospital-embedded Schools of Nursing in Lagos, such as those at LUTH Idi-Araba, the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, and Military Hospital Yaba, generally maintain a similar cost structure to LASCON, with core tuition, uniforms, and clinical consumables making up the bulk of the charges. These institutions are consistently identified as offering some of the more affordable entry-level nursing training options in the state compared to full university degree programmes, since their fee structure avoids the broader faculty and departmental levies that come with university enrolment.
Post-basic specialisation programmes at these hospitals, meant for nurses who are already registered and licensed, carry a different and generally higher fee structure. For instance, post-basic accident and emergency nursing training at LUTH has historically cost above ₦150,000 for the programme, with a separate application fee in the range of ₦10,000, while some other post-basic specialisations, such as peri-operative nursing, have carried fees running into six figures depending on the duration and clinical exposure involved.
School Fees for University Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc) Programmes
Nursing Science delivered through a full university degree costs more overall than the hospital-based route, mainly because it combines standard university tuition with the additional laboratory, clinical, and faculty charges attached to a health sciences programme.
At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), a federal university, nursing students fall under the general university fee structure for science and medical/health-related courses. UNILAG’s fee bands for the broader student population range from around ₦80,750 for non-laboratory courses to about ₦170,250 for medical and pharmacy-related programmes, and Nursing Science students, given the laboratory-intensive nature of the course, typically sit closer to the higher end of this range rather than the base non-lab tier.
At Lagos State University, nursing is coordinated through the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) in Ikeja. As a state university, LASU’s overall fee structure is generally lower than UNILAG’s for base courses, with published ranges falling between roughly ₦25,000 and ₦58,048 depending on level and course category, though health science and clinical programmes such Nursing Science typically attract fees above the base arts and social science tier due to laboratory and clinical training levies.
Among private universities offering Nursing Science in Lagos, Anchor University stands out as a widely referenced option, with its Bachelor of Nursing Science programme charging new students approximately ₦1,200,000 per session. This programme runs five years for regular (fresh) students and four years for candidates already holding Registered Nurse status seeking to convert to a full degree.
Comparing Overall Cost Across the Two Pathways
| Pathway | Typical Institution Type | Approximate Session Cost Range | Duration to RN/Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital/College-embedded Basic Nursing | LASCON, LUTH, Igbobi, Military Hospital | ₦300,000 – ₦435,000 per session | 3 years to RN certification |
| Federal University B.NSc | UNILAG | Higher tier of general university fee schedule (₦80,750 – ₦170,250 band) | 5 years to degree |
| State University B.NSc | LASU/LASUCOM | Lower base tier but higher for health-related courses | 5 years to degree |
| Private University B.NSc | Anchor University | Approximately ₦1,200,000 per session | 4–5 years depending on entry route |
As the comparison shows, candidates whose priority is reaching RN licensure at the lowest overall cost tend to favour the hospital-embedded colleges, while those seeking a full university degree alongside their nursing qualification should expect a materially higher total investment, particularly at private universities.
General Admission Requirements Across Lagos Nursing Institutions
Regardless of which pathway a candidate chooses, most approved nursing training providers in Lagos apply a broadly similar set of entry requirements:
- A minimum of five O’Level credit passes in WASSCE, NECO, or GCE, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings.
- A minimum age requirement, commonly around 17 years, at the point of admission.
- For university degree routes, a valid and competitive UTME score is required, with hospital-embedded colleges sometimes requiring a UTME score as well, particularly where the National Diploma pathway is involved.
- Successful completion of the institution’s screening process, which may include a computer-based test (CBT), an interview, or document verification, depending on the specific school.
Candidates applying to university-based B.NSc programmes should expect a generally higher competitive UTME benchmark than the hospital-embedded colleges, since demand for university nursing degrees in Lagos is high and admission slots are limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper: a College of Nursing or a university Nursing Science degree in Lagos?
A hospital-embedded College of Nursing, such as LASCON or LUTH’s School of Nursing, is generally cheaper overall than a university Bachelor of Nursing Science degree, since it avoids the broader tuition and faculty levy structure attached to full university enrolment.
Are all nursing schools in Lagos NMCN-accredited?
Not automatically. Every nursing programme, whether hospital-based or university-based, must hold valid NMCN accreditation for its graduates to be eligible for the professional licensing examination. Candidates should always verify a school’s current accreditation status before applying.
Can I become a Registered Nurse without going through a university?
Yes. Hospital-embedded Schools and Colleges of Nursing, such as LASCON, LUTH’s School of Nursing, and similar institutions, offer a direct Basic Nursing programme leading to RN certification without requiring a full university degree.
Do post-basic nursing programmes cost more than basic nursing training?
Post-basic specialisation programmes, which are only open to already-licensed nurses, generally carry a separate and sometimes higher fee structure than basic entry-level training, reflecting the specialised clinical exposure involved.
What is the general cost range for basic nursing training in Lagos?
Basic Nursing programmes at hospital-embedded colleges in Lagos generally range from about ₦300,000 to ₦435,000 per session, while university degree routes can range considerably higher depending on whether the institution is federal, state, or private.