Abia State hosts one of the densest clusters of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN)–approved training institutions in the South East. Candidates researching where to study nursing in the state have several options: a public university offering a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc), state-owned colleges of nursing that award the Registered Nurse (RN) certificate, a federal college with a long training history, and a small number of mission or privately run colleges. Each option carries a different fee structure, duration, and entry requirement. This article lists the approved institutions and lays out the fees a fresh student should expect to pay.
Why Accreditation Status Matters Before You Apply
Before paying any admission fee, a prospective student needs to confirm that the school currently holds valid accreditation from the NMCN. Accreditation determines whether a graduate can sit for the professional licensing examination and register as a nurse. Some training schools lose accreditation or have it placed under embargo for a period, during which the institution is barred from admitting new students even if it still advertises forms. A school that is not on the current NMCN list, or whose accreditation has been suspended, cannot guarantee that a certificate earned there will be recognized. Applicants should always verify a school’s current status directly with the NMCN or the institution’s admissions office before making any payment.
List of Approved Nursing Institutions in Abia State
1. Department of Nursing Sciences, Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu
This is the flagship university nursing programme in the state, run under the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the main campus in Uturu. It leads to a Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.N.Sc.) degree and is accredited by both the NMCN and the National Universities Commission (NUC). The programme runs for five years and sits in the same premium fee category as Medicine, Law, and Medical Laboratory Science, which places its tuition above what arts and pure science students pay. Admission requires UTME with the approved subject combination, five O’ Level credits including English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics obtained in not more than two sittings, and a departmental screening exercise after the JAMB result.
2. Department of Nursing Science, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU)
MOUAU also runs a BNSc programme through its Department of Nursing Sciences, with training built around a simulation laboratory and clinical postings at affiliated healthcare facilities. Entry requirements mirror those of most university nursing programmes: UTME with the correct subject combination and five O’ Level credits in the science subjects listed above, plus departmental screening.
3. School of Nursing, Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba
This is a hospital-based training school operated by ABSUTH, leading to the Registered Nurse (RN) certificate after a three-year programme. It holds provisional accreditation from the NMCN and admits a capped number of students per session.
4. School of Post Basic Midwifery, ABSUTH, Aba
Open to candidates who already hold an RN qualification and wish to specialise in midwifery. This school carries full NMCN accreditation with an admission quota of about 50 students per intake.
5. School of Post Basic Midwifery, Abiriba
A second post-basic midwifery training centre in the state, also under provisional accreditation, admitting a similar quota per session. It serves nurses from Abia and neighbouring states who want to add a midwifery qualification to an existing RN certificate.
6. Abia State College of Nursing Sciences (ABSCONS) — Amachara and Umuahia Campuses
ABSCONS is the umbrella body that runs the state government–owned basic nursing and midwifery training programmes across Amachara, Umuahia, and other campuses under one administration. The School of Basic Midwifery, Amachara, holds full accreditation. The School of Nursing under this same administrative structure (commonly referred to as the “Abia State School of Nursing, Umuahia/Amachara”) is one of the most popular entry points for candidates who want a three-year RN programme without going through a university degree route. Admission forms are typically sold through the Nursing Service Department at the state Ministry of Health, New Secretariat, Umuahia, and require two passport photographs, a photocopy of O’ Level results, and a non-refundable form fee.
7. Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Umuahia
Established in 1952, this is one of the oldest nursing training institutions in Nigeria and a federal government–owned college. It runs a three-year diploma programme covering nursing theory and practice, health promotion, and research methodology, with clinical rotations across medical, surgical, obstetric, paediatric, and community health postings.
8. College of Nursing Sciences, Obohia-Ndoki
A state-recognised college located in the Ukwa East axis, offering an alternative to the more concentrated cluster of schools around Umuahia and Aba. Entry requires five O’ Level credits, and, for ND-aligned intakes, a JAMB score, alongside an internal computer-based test and document screening.
9. Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial College of Nursing Sciences, Aba
A mission-affiliated college in Aba offering basic nursing training under NMCN guidelines, popular with candidates who prefer a smaller, community-oriented training environment.
10. St. Anthony College of Nursing Sciences, Aba
A privately run nursing college along the Etche Road axis in Aba, attracting candidates who want smaller class cohorts and community-based clinical exposure. As with any private institution, applicants should confirm the current session’s accreditation status for both nursing and midwifery tracks before applying, since private colleges sometimes advertise one track while only the other is actively accredited for a given session.
School Fees for Approved Nursing Institutions in Abia State
Fees vary by institution type. University-run BNSc programmes charge significantly more than the three-year RN programmes run by state and federal colleges, and private colleges generally sit at the upper end of the college-level fee range. The table below summarises the fee ranges a fresh student should budget for, based on the most recently published fee schedules.
| Institution | Programme Type | Duration | Approximate Fee (Fresh Student, Per Session) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu | BNSc (Degree) | 5 years | ₦188,950 (no hostel) – ₦218,950 (with hostel) in year one; ₦58,950–₦88,950 from 200 level |
| Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU) | BNSc (Degree) | 5 years | University tuition schedule, comparable premium-category range; confirm current faculty circular |
| Abia State College of Nursing Sciences (ABSCONS) — Amachara/Umuahia | RN (Basic General Nursing) | 3 years | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 |
| ABSUTH School of Nursing, Aba | RN (Basic General Nursing) | 3 years | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 (state college range applies) |
| ABSUTH / Abiriba Post Basic Midwifery | Post-basic Midwifery | 18 months – 2 years | Released per cohort; typically within the state college fee range |
| Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Umuahia | RN Diploma | 3 years | Federal college schedule; generally lower than private colleges, released per session |
| Obohia-Ndoki, Heerey Memorial, St. Anthony (private/mission) | RN / ND-aligned | 3 years | ₦200,000 – ₦300,000+ depending on institution |
These figures cover tuition only. They exclude the acceptance fee, caution fee, medical screening fee, uniform costs, and hostel accommodation, all of which are usually paid separately and can add another ₦50,000 to ₦150,000 to the total cost of the first session. At ABSU, for example, the acceptance fee alone is ₦50,000, paid once and non-refundable, immediately after admission is confirmed.
Additional Costs to Plan For
Beyond tuition, nursing students in Abia State should budget for a few recurring costs:
- Accommodation: Off-campus self-contained apartments around Umuahia and Amachara range from roughly ₦80,000 to ₦120,000 per year, while university hostel fees are built into the fee schedule where hostel is selected.
- Feeding: Students who cook their own meals typically spend between ₦50,000 and ₦80,000 per session.
- Uniforms and clinical kits: Nursing uniforms, aprons, and basic clinical instruments are compulsory purchases in the first year and are not always included in the published tuition figure.
- Transportation: Within Umuahia and Aba, commercial tricycles are the most common and most affordable means of getting to and from clinical postings.
A reasonable estimate for total first-year cost, including tuition, accommodation, feeding, and incidentals, is between ₦300,000 and ₦500,000 for the state and federal college routes, and higher for the university BNSc route once hostel and departmental levies are added.
Admission Requirements Common Across Abia State Nursing Schools
While each institution publishes its own specific circular, most approved nursing schools in Abia State share a common baseline:
- Five O’ Level credits in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings (WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB).
- A minimum age requirement, usually 16 to 17 years at the point of admission.
- UTME registration and an acceptable JAMB score for university-based BNSc programmes and for ND-aligned intakes at some colleges.
- An internal screening exercise, which may include a computer-based test, document verification, and sometimes an interview.
- A medical fitness certificate confirming the candidate is physically fit for clinical training.
Candidates applying to the RN-track colleges without going through JAMB should confirm directly with the specific school whether the current session accepts direct entry through internal screening alone, since this policy differs from one institution to another and can change from session to session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to study nursing in Abia State without JAMB? Yes, for the general nursing (RN) programmes run by state and federal colleges, some intakes admit candidates through internal screening alone. University BNSc programmes, however, require UTME.
Do graduates of RN colleges qualify for NYSC? Graduates of degree (BNSc) and ND/HND-aligned nursing programmes qualify for NYSC. Graduates of the standard Registered Nursing diploma from colleges typically do not qualify for NYSC mobilisation.
Which is cheaper: the university BNSc route or the college RN route? The college RN route (three years) is generally cheaper per session than the university BNSc route (five years), though the university route leads to a degree rather than a diploma certificate.
How long does it take to complete a nursing programme in Abia State? Basic RN diploma programmes take three years. Post-basic midwifery adds roughly 18 months to two years for RNs who already hold a nursing certificate. University BNSc programmes take five years.
Do published fees change from session to session? Yes. Fees are reviewed periodically by each institution’s management, so the figures above should be treated as a guide and confirmed directly with the school’s admissions office or official portal before payment.