Niger State hosts several nursing training institutions recognized by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the regulatory body responsible for accrediting every nursing and midwifery programme in the country. This article lists the approved nursing schools in Niger State, explains what separates them from unapproved or unaccredited training centers, and breaks down what each institution charges so prospective students can plan their finances ahead of the 2026/2027 admission cycle.
What “Approved” Means for a Nursing School
A nursing school is “approved” when the NMCN has formally accredited its programme after verifying its facilities, staffing, curriculum, and clinical training partnerships. The council grants two categories of accreditation: full accreditation, which lasts five years, and provisional accreditation, which lasts two years and applies to newer programmes still building out their resources. A school under an embargo, meaning its intake has been suspended pending correction of identified deficiencies, is not considered approved until the council lifts the restriction after a resource verification visit.
This distinction matters directly to students because only graduates of an NMCN-approved programme are eligible to sit the council’s licensing examination and register as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Midwife (RM). Attending an unapproved institution, regardless of how convincing its marketing looks, means a student cannot legally practice nursing in Nigeria after graduation. Before applying anywhere, candidates should confirm a school’s current accreditation status directly through the NMCN’s published list of approved schools rather than relying solely on the institution’s own claims.
List of Approved Nursing Institutions in Niger State
Niger State runs its nursing training primarily through the Niger State College of Nursing Sciences, a unified administrative structure that oversees three campuses, alongside a small number of privately owned nursing colleges and a public university that runs a full degree-level nursing programme.
Niger State College of Nursing Sciences (Public)
This is the state government-owned institution and the main channel through which most nursing candidates in Niger State train. It operates under one central college structure but runs its programmes across three separate campuses:
- School of Nursing, Bida: runs the Basic Nursing (Registered Nurse) programme, a three-year course, and also offers Post-Basic Nursing programmes for candidates who already hold an RN qualification and want to specialize further.
- School of Midwifery, Minna: runs the Basic Midwifery programme, along with Post-Basic Midwifery and Community Midwifery tracks.
- School of Midwifery, Kontagora: also runs the Basic Midwifery programme, giving the state a second campus dedicated to midwifery training outside the capital.
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (Public University)
IBBU Lapai, the state-owned university in Niger State, runs a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree under its College of Health Sciences. This route differs from the college-of-nursing model in that it leads to a full university degree rather than a diploma-level RN qualification, and it takes the standard five-year duration typical of degree-level nursing programmes in Nigeria, or a reduced duration for Direct Entry candidates.
Dako College of Nursing and Midwifery, Suleja (Private)
This privately owned college, also referred to as Dako Hill Town College of Nursing and Midwifery, runs both the Basic Nursing programme and a two-year Post-Basic Nursing programme. It operates under NMCN guidelines and follows the same three-year structure as the public schools for its basic programme.
Standard College of Nursing, Minna (Private)
This is another privately owned nursing training institution based in Minna, running programmes structured along the same NMCN-approved curriculum as the state-owned schools.
Candidates should note that private colleges of nursing typically charge more than the state-owned College of Nursing Sciences, since they do not receive the same level of government subvention that keeps public school fees lower.
School Fees for Nursing Programmes in Niger State
Fees for nursing training in Niger State differ by institution type (public college, private college, or university), by programme (Basic Nursing, Basic Midwifery, Post-Basic Nursing, or a full BNSc degree), and by whether a candidate is an indigene of Niger State or a non-indigene. Public institutions consistently charge indigenes a lower rate than non-indigenes, a pattern common across state-owned tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
| Institution | Ownership | Programme | Typical Session Fee Range (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| School of Nursing, Bida | State-owned | Basic Nursing (RN) | 100,000 – 200,000 |
| School of Midwifery, Minna | State-owned | Basic Midwifery (RM) | 100,000 – 200,000 |
| School of Midwifery, Kontagora | State-owned | Basic Midwifery (RM) | 100,000 – 200,000 |
| Dako College of Nursing and Midwifery, Suleja | Private | Basic Nursing / Post-Basic Nursing | Higher than the state-owned campuses; confirm current figure with the college |
| Standard College of Nursing, Minna | Private | Basic Nursing | Higher than the state-owned campuses; confirm current figure with the college |
| IBBU Lapai (BNSc Nursing Science) | State university | Bachelor of Nursing Science | Niger State indigenes pay a lower rate than non-indigenes, consistent with the university’s general tuition structure |
These figures represent the typical range reported for a session at the state-owned campuses and should be treated as a planning guide rather than a fixed, current invoice. Nursing school fees are reviewed periodically, and each campus publishes its own updated schedule at the point of admission. Prospective students should always confirm the exact current session fee directly from the school’s admissions office or official portal before making any payment.
What Nursing School Fees in Niger State Typically Cover
Regardless of which approved institution a student attends, the session fee for a nursing or midwifery programme generally bundles together several components rather than tuition alone:
- Tuition: the core instructional cost for the session.
- Registration and matriculation: covers enrollment processing and formal admission into the institution.
- Practical and clinical fees: covers laboratory sessions, nursing skills demonstrations, and supervised clinical postings in affiliated hospitals, a central part of any nursing curriculum.
- Examination fees: covers internal school examinations as well as the council’s licensing examination registration in the final year.
- Uniform and clinical kit: many nursing schools require students to purchase a standard uniform, and sometimes basic clinical tools, either directly from the school or through an approved vendor.
- Library and ICT fees: covers access to reading materials and any digital learning resources the school provides.
- Accommodation: where hostel space is available, it is usually billed separately from the core school fee, and demand for on-campus hostel space at nursing schools tends to be high given the clinical posting schedules students must keep.
Admission Requirements for Niger State Nursing Programmes
General entry requirements across the approved nursing institutions in Niger State include:
- A minimum of five O’Level credits, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings.
- A passing score in the school’s own entrance examination, which is a mandatory step at every institution listed above, in addition to any O’Level requirement.
- An interview stage for candidates who scale through the written entrance examination.
- For the BNSc route at IBBU Lapai, a JAMB UTME score meeting the university’s cut-off mark, since it runs through the standard university admission process rather than a school-specific entrance exam.
- Age and health eligibility requirements set by individual schools, along with a requirement of good conduct, since nursing training involves supervised patient contact from an early stage.
Direct Entry candidates with an ND, NCE, or equivalent qualification in a related field may also apply into some of these programmes, particularly the university-based BNSc route, subject to the specific department’s entry conditions.
How to Apply and Pay Fees
The general application process across Niger State’s approved nursing institutions follows a similar pattern:
- Purchase the admission form through the institution’s official portal. For the Niger State College of Nursing Sciences, this is done through its central portal covering all three campuses (Bida, Minna, and Kontagora).
- Complete the online application form with accurate personal and academic details, then submit before the stated deadline.
- Sit for the entrance examination on the date communicated by the school.
- Attend the interview if shortlisted after the entrance examination.
- Confirm admission once the list is released, then proceed to pay the approved school fee through the official payment channel indicated by the institution.
- Complete registration and clinical clearance requirements, which may include a medical fitness test before resumption.
Candidates are strongly advised to verify the correct application portal before making any payment, since several unofficial websites and individuals impersonate nursing school admission portals in Nigeria, particularly during peak application periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NMCN-approved nursing institutions operate in Niger State?
Niger State runs nursing and midwifery training mainly through the Niger State College of Nursing Sciences (with campuses in Bida, Minna, and Kontagora), alongside Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai for the degree-level BNSc route, and private colleges such as Dako College of Nursing and Midwifery in Suleja and Standard College of Nursing in Minna.
Is it cheaper to study nursing at a state-owned school or a private college in Niger State?
State-owned institutions, including the Niger State College of Nursing Sciences and IBBU Lapai, generally charge less than privately owned nursing colleges, since public institutions receive government subvention that keeps their fees lower.
Does Niger State offer a full nursing degree, or only diploma-level training?
Both. The Niger State College of Nursing Sciences offers diploma-level Basic Nursing and Basic Midwifery training, while Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai offers a full Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree.
Do Niger State indigenes pay less than non-indigenes for nursing programmes?
Yes, particularly at state-owned institutions like IBBU Lapai and the College of Nursing Sciences, where indigenes of Niger State are charged a lower fee than candidates from other states.
How can I confirm that a nursing school in Niger State is genuinely NMCN-approved?
Check the current list of approved schools published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, which is updated periodically and shows each institution’s accreditation status and admission quota.