Akwa Ibom State runs a well-established network of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN)–accredited training institutions, ranging from a full university nursing degree to a multi-campus state college and several post-basic midwifery centres attached to hospitals across the state. This article lists the approved institutions and sets out what each one currently charges, so a prospective applicant can plan their admission and budget with accurate, up-to-date information.
Why Accreditation Matters Before Choosing a Nursing School
Before applying anywhere, a candidate needs to confirm that the specific school, campus, or programme they intend to enrol in currently holds valid NMCN accreditation, and, for university-based programmes, accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) as well. Accreditation is not a one-time status; the NMCN grants full accreditation for five years and provisional accreditation for two years, after which a school must undergo a fresh resource verification visit to retain its standing. A school under an admission embargo cannot legally take in new students until the council lifts the embargo, even if the institution continues to advertise forms. Because accreditation status can change between sessions, a candidate should verify the current status of any Akwa Ibom nursing institution directly with the NMCN or the school’s admissions office rather than relying on an old list.
List of Approved Nursing Institutions in Akwa Ibom State
1. Department of Nursing Sciences, University of Uyo (UNIUYO)
This is the state’s principal university-level nursing programme, leading to a Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.N.Sc.) degree. It is fully accredited by both the NUC and the NMCN, making graduates eligible for professional licensure and practice anywhere in Nigeria. As a federal university, UNIUYO’s Nursing Science programme runs alongside its other health science departments and carries one of the more competitive departmental cut off marks at the institution, since demand for the course consistently outpaces the number of available admission slots each session.
2. Akwa Ibom State College of Nursing Sciences (AKSCONS)
AKSCONS is the state’s consolidated nursing training body, established in September 2021 through the merger of several previously independent nursing and midwifery schools that had operated separately since as far back as the 1930s. The college’s main campus is at Ikot Ekpene, with additional campuses at Anua-Uyo, Ituk Mbang (Uruan), Eket, and Oron. Following a 2024 accreditation review, AKSCONS is now approved by both the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the NMCN to run National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) nursing and related health programmes, giving it monotechnic status rather than the standalone diploma-school structure the individual campuses previously operated under. Programmes offered across its campuses include Basic Nursing, Post Basic Midwifery, Public Health Nursing, and Psychiatric Nursing.
3. School of Nursing, Anua-Uyo
Operating under the AKSCONS structure and attached to St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, this is one of the longest-running nursing training centres in the state, tracing back to 1946. It holds full NMCN accreditation, granted in January 2018, with an admission quota of 75 students per session, and it delivers the standard three-year Basic Nursing programme leading to the Registered Nurse (RN) qualification.
4. School of Nursing, Eket
Attached to Emmanuel Hospital, Eket, this school holds provisional NMCN accreditation, granted in January 2018, with an admission quota of 40 students. Like Anua-Uyo, it now operates under the consolidated AKSCONS structure and runs the standard three-year Basic Nursing programme.
5. School of Post Basic Midwifery, Ituk-Mbang
Attached to Methodist General Hospital, Ituk Mbang, this school trains Registered Nurses who wish to specialise further in midwifery. It holds provisional NMCN accreditation, granted in April 2018, with an admission quota of 50 students, and candidates must already hold an RN qualification before applying.
6. School of Post Basic Midwifery, Anua-Uyo
A second post-basic midwifery training centre under the AKSCONS umbrella, holding provisional NMCN accreditation granted in January 2018, with an admission quota of 50 students.
7. School of Post Basic Midwifery, Oron
Attached to Central Hospital, Iquita-Oron, this school holds provisional NMCN accreditation granted in April 2018, with an admission quota of 50 students, and serves candidates from Oron and the surrounding southern senatorial district of the state.
8. Maurid College of Nursing Sciences, Nsit Ibom
A private nursing college located in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, fully accredited by the NMCN, offering an alternative to the government-run institutions for candidates who prefer a smaller, privately administered training environment.
9. Department of Nursing Sciences, Abundance Wisdom University
A private university in Akwa Ibom State that runs an accredited Nursing Sciences department, offering another degree-level pathway for candidates in the state beyond the University of Uyo.
School Fees for Nursing Institutions in Akwa Ibom State
Fees vary considerably depending on whether a school runs a university degree programme or a diploma-level college programme, and whether a candidate is an indigene of Akwa Ibom State or a non-indigene. The table below sets out the most recently reported figures across the state’s main approved institutions.
| Institution | Programme Type | Approximate Fee (Per Session) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Nursing Science | B.N.Sc. (Degree) | ₦70,000 – ₦120,000, depending on new or returning status |
| Akwa Ibom State College of Nursing Sciences (AKSCONS), ND/HND campuses | ND/HND (Registered Nurse route) | Indigenes: around ₦220,750 total per session (₦140,000 first semester, ₦80,750 second semester); non-indigenes generally pay more |
| School of Nursing, Anua-Uyo / Eket (AKSCONS-affiliated) | Basic Nursing (RN, 3 years) | Broadly in line with the AKSCONS fee structure above, with separate application and IGR charges |
| Post Basic Midwifery schools (Ituk-Mbang, Anua-Uyo, Oron) | Post-basic Midwifery (RN entry required) | Tuition billed per session, separate from acceptance and hostel fees; candidates should confirm current figures with the specific campus |
| Maurid College of Nursing Sciences | Basic Nursing (Private, RN route) | Private-college rate, generally higher than the state-run AKSCONS fee; confirm directly with the college |
These figures cover tuition-related charges only. They generally exclude the acceptance fee, hostel accommodation, uniforms, and other one-time or optional charges, all of which are billed separately. Fees are also reviewed periodically by each institution’s management, so a candidate should always confirm the exact current figure through the specific school’s official portal or admissions office before making a payment.
Additional Charges to Budget For
Beyond the core tuition figure, every candidate admitted into an Akwa Ibom nursing institution should plan for a few additional, largely unavoidable costs.
- Acceptance fee: At UNIUYO, the non-refundable acceptance fee for newly admitted students is around ₦30,000. AKSCONS and its affiliated schools charge a separate registration or Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) fee, generally in the ₦20,000 to ₦50,000 range depending on indigene status.
- Application/screening fee: Candidates applying to schools such as Anua-Uyo have reported an application fee of around ₦10,500 to purchase and process the admission form.
- Hostel accommodation: At UNIUYO, hostel fees for Nursing students range from roughly ₦28,000 to ₦40,000 per session, where space is available.
- Late registration penalty: AKSCONS applies a late registration charge, reported at around ₦20,000, for students who miss the standard payment window.
- Uniforms and clinical kits: Every nursing programme in the state requires students to purchase uniforms, aprons, and basic clinical tools in the first year, a cost not included in the standard tuition figure.
Admission Requirements Common Across Akwa Ibom Nursing Schools
While each institution publishes its own specific circular, most approved nursing schools in Akwa Ibom State share a common baseline of entry requirements.
- Five O’ Level credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings (WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB).
- A minimum age requirement, generally between 16 and 18 years, with an upper age limit of around 35 years for some post-basic and diploma programmes.
- A UTME score meeting the institution’s current cut off mark. For UNIUYO’s Nursing Science degree, this has recently sat in the 200 to 230 range. For AKSCONS’s ND/HND nursing programmes, following the college’s move to NBTE/NMCN-accredited diploma status, candidates have recently been expected to score 180 and above in JAMB, a notable shift from the college’s earlier practice of admitting through internal screening alone without a JAMB requirement.
- A post-UTME or internal screening exercise, which may include a computer-based test, document verification, and, for some programmes, an interview.
- For post-basic midwifery programmes specifically, candidates must already hold a Registered Nurse (RN) qualification recognised by the NMCN before applying.
Because AKSCONS has recently begun requiring JAMB for its diploma-level nursing programmes, a candidate who previously assumed the college’s Basic Nursing route did not require UTME should confirm the current admission guideline directly with the college before applying, since this policy has shifted from earlier sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to study nursing in Akwa Ibom State without JAMB? This depends on the specific institution and programme. Post Basic Midwifery programmes generally admit candidates who already hold an RN qualification through internal screening rather than fresh UTME. However, AKSCONS’s ND/HND Basic Nursing programmes now require a JAMB score, following the college’s recent accreditation upgrade, so a candidate should confirm the current requirement with the college before assuming a JAMB-free route.
What is the difference between AKSCONS and the University of Uyo’s Nursing Science programme? AKSCONS runs diploma-level ND and HND nursing programmes leading to a Registered Nurse (RN) qualification over a shorter training period, while the University of Uyo runs a full Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.N.Sc.) degree, which typically takes longer to complete and leads to a university degree rather than a diploma.
How much does it cost to study Nursing Science at the University of Uyo? Recent figures place UNIUYO’s Nursing Science fees at roughly ₦70,000 to ₦120,000 per session, excluding the acceptance fee and hostel accommodation, which are billed separately.
Do AKSCONS graduates qualify for NYSC? Graduates of ND/HND-aligned nursing programmes at accredited institutions like AKSCONS generally qualify for NYSC mobilisation, while graduates of the standard three-year RN diploma route from some affiliated schools typically do not, so a candidate should confirm the specific programme classification with the college.
Where are AKSCONS’s campuses located? AKSCONS operates a main campus at Ikot Ekpene, with additional campuses at Anua-Uyo, Ituk Mbang (Uruan), Eket, and Oron, reflecting the locations of the individual nursing and midwifery schools that were merged to form the college in 2021.