Nursing education in the Federal Capital Territory follows two separate tracks. The first is the government-run School of Nursing/Midwifery system, which trains Registered Nurses through diploma-level programmes at low, subsidized fees. The second is the university degree track, where private universities in Abuja run accredited Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) programmes at commercial tuition rates. When people search for “private nursing school in FCT Abuja,” they are almost always referring to this second category, since virtually all standalone diploma schools of nursing in Abuja — FCT School of Nursing Gwagwalada, the School of Nursing at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, National Hospital Abuja, and Asokoro District Hospital — operate as government or hospital-affiliated institutions rather than private businesses.
This article covers the private universities in FCT Abuja that run NUC-accredited nursing programmes, what each one charges, and the extra costs a nursing student should plan for beyond tuition.
Which Private Universities Offer Nursing in FCT Abuja
Three private universities in Abuja currently run a full Bachelor of Nursing Science degree with National Universities Commission accreditation:
- Baze University, located along the Jabi Airport Road Bypass in Kuchigoro
- Veritas University, located at Bwari Area Council, owned by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria
- Nile University of Nigeria (also referred to as Nigerian Turkish Nile University), located in Jabi, Abuja, and run under the Honoris United Universities network
Each of these runs nursing as a five-year degree programme leading to a BNSc, after which graduates sit the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) licensing examination to practice as Registered Nurses. This differs from the three-year Registered Nurse (RN) diploma offered at government schools of nursing, and it generally costs significantly more.
Fees at Private Universities Offering Nursing in Abuja
The table below sets out the tuition figures each university has published for nursing, based on their most recent released fee schedules. Fees are quoted per session (one academic year) unless stated otherwise, and typically apply to fresh, first-year students. Amounts rise or shift slightly from one admission cycle to the next, so a student should always confirm the current figure directly with the admissions office before making payment.
| University | Approx. Nursing Fee (per session) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Baze University | ₦2,886,528 | Covers Nursing, Radiography, and BMLS under the same fee band |
| Nile University of Nigeria | ₦2,500,000 and above | Falls within the university’s health sciences fee band, below Medicine and Surgery |
| Veritas University | ₦1,500,000 – ₦1,800,000 | Nursing sits under the Faculty of Health Sciences, alongside Medical Laboratory Science |
These figures cover tuition only. None of them include acceptance fees, accommodation, feeding, uniforms, clinical practicum charges, or examination fees, all of which are billed separately.
Baze University Nursing Fees
Baze University charges ₦2,886,528 per session for its Nursing Science programme, placing it in the same fee bracket as Radiography and Biomedical Laboratory Science. This figure sits below the Medicine and Surgery programme, which rises from roughly ₦2.27 million at the 100 level to over ₦9 million by the 400 level, but above the university’s standard Management and Computing courses. New students also pay a caution deposit of ₦40,000, and accommodation is billed separately, with private rooms costing significantly more than shared hostel spaces per semester. Baze requires a minimum UTME score of around 180 for general entry, though Nursing, like Medicine and Law, tends to demand a more competitive score during post-UTME screening.
Veritas University Nursing Fees
Veritas University places Nursing under its Faculty of Health Sciences, and current tuition for the programme falls between ₦1.5 million and ₦1.8 million per session, making it the more moderately priced of the three private universities offering nursing in Abuja. Beyond tuition, Veritas charges a registration fee, a development levy, an acceptance fee for new students, and a field trip/practical fee specific to Nursing, Geology, and Medical Laboratory Science students, since clinical and laboratory placements come with added costs. Accommodation at the permanent site in Bwari ranges depending on room occupancy, with shared rooms costing less than smaller-capacity rooms. Veritas sets its Nursing cut-off mark at 220 and above, higher than most of its other programmes, reflecting the competitive nature of admission into the course.
Nile University Nursing Fees
Nile University’s health sciences fee band places Nursing above Engineering and general Arts programmes but below Medicine and Surgery, which is the university’s most expensive course at over ₦3 million per semester. Nursing tuition at Nile typically exceeds ₦2.5 million per session. New students additionally pay a one-time acceptance fee of ₦100,000, and hostel accommodation is charged separately, ranging from around ₦1.1 million for a standard shared room to ₦2.2 million for a smaller executive room per session. Nile’s general JAMB cut-off mark is 150, but competitive programmes including Nursing, Medicine, and Law typically require scores closer to 200.
Why Private Nursing Fees Are Higher Than Government Schools
Government-run schools of nursing in Abuja, such as the FCT School of Nursing in Gwagwalada, charge around ₦150,000 to ₦163,000 for the first year and roughly ₦25,000 for subsequent years, since these institutions receive government subvention that keeps costs down for students. Private universities receive no such subsidy. Their fees reflect the full cost of NUC-accredited degree instruction: laboratory equipment, clinical simulation facilities, affiliated teaching hospital arrangements, staff salaries, and NMCN compliance requirements for nursing programme accreditation. This is the core reason nursing at a private university in Abuja costs ten to twenty times more than the diploma route at a government school.
A degree from a private university also awards a Bachelor of Nursing Science, a university-level qualification, rather than the Diploma/RN certification that government schools of nursing confer. Both pathways lead to NMCN licensure, but the BNSc route generally opens more doors for postgraduate study, specialization, and international nursing opportunities, which is part of what the higher fee is paying for.
Other Costs to Budget For
Tuition is only part of the total cost of studying nursing at a private university in Abuja. A student should also plan for:
- Acceptance fee: A one-time, non-refundable payment required after admission is confirmed, typically ranging from ₦40,000 to ₦100,000 depending on the university.
- Accommodation: Hostel fees are billed separately from tuition and vary by room type, ranging from a few hundred thousand naira for shared rooms to well over a million naira for private or executive rooms per session.
- Clinical and practical fees: Nursing students undergo hospital-based clinical placements, and universities typically charge an additional practicum or field-work fee to cover this training component.
- Feeding and personal upkeep: Not included in official school fees, but a necessary part of total annual cost for any student living on or near campus.
- Uniforms and clinical materials: Nursing students need specific uniforms, badges, and basic clinical tools, which add a modest but recurring cost each session.
Taken together, a nursing student at a private university in Abuja should expect total annual costs, including tuition, accommodation, and incidental fees, to run well above the published tuition figure alone.
Admission Requirements for Nursing in Private Universities in Abuja
Entry into any of these nursing programmes requires five credit passes at O’Level (WAEC, NECO, or their equivalent), including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in no more than two sittings. Candidates must also register for UTME with the chosen university as their first choice, meet the institution’s Nursing-specific cut-off mark (usually higher than the general cut-off, often between 180 and 220), and pass the university’s post-UTME screening exercise. Nursing is consistently one of the more competitive courses at each of these universities, alongside Medicine and Law, so applicants should expect a higher bar than for general arts or management courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the cheapest private university for nursing in FCT Abuja?
Based on current published fees, Veritas University offers the most moderately priced Nursing programme among the three, with tuition around ₦1.5 million to ₦1.8 million per session, compared to Baze and Nile, which both charge above ₦2.5 million.
Do private universities in Abuja offer nursing as a three-year programme?
No. Nursing at private universities in Abuja is a five-year Bachelor of Nursing Science degree. The three-year diploma route exists only at government-run schools of nursing, such as the FCT School of Nursing in Gwagwalada.
Is nursing more expensive than other courses at these universities?
Yes, in most cases. Nursing typically falls into the same fee band as other clinical or laboratory-based programmes like Medical Laboratory Science and Radiography, and costs more than non-clinical courses such as Arts, Social Sciences, or Management, though it remains cheaper than Medicine and Surgery.
Do these universities offer scholarships for nursing students?
Some do, tied to JAMB performance. For example, high UTME scorers at certain private universities in Abuja qualify for partial or full tuition scholarships, though Nursing and Medicine are sometimes excluded from full-scholarship offers, so applicants should confirm scholarship terms directly with each university’s admissions office.