Salary of Nurses in Nigeria

The salary of Nurses in Nigeria is very high and lucrative compared to other professions. Nurses are highly respected in the country and are regarded as “ life savers” as they have been known to perform their roles effectively and efficiently.

Before you can be qualified comfortably to earn as a nurse, you must have attended an accredited and recognized Nursing College/ University within and outside the country and have been fully licensed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to begin your nursing practice.

The salary structure for Nurses in Nigeria is based on two major standards:- the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) which is for hospitals and the Consolidated University Academic Structure (CONAUSS) for Nurses in the academic sector.

The salary nurses receive varies greatly on the basis of gender, experience, skills, and the kind of nursing specialty.

Aside from the basic salary, most nurses in Nigeria receive bonuses and allowances according to their roles and duties in various healthcare sectors.

If you are a nurse or considering going into the nursing profession, then you are on the right path and will earn a lot as you gain more experience in the profession.

To find out about the salary structure of Nurses in Nigeria, make sure you read this content till the end.

Table of Contents

The following are the salaries of Nurses in Nigeria according to the laid down structures.

Salary of Nurses Based on Experience

Nurses with an experience of 0 to 2 years earn an average of ₦ 161,000 per month.
Nurses with 2 to 5 years of experience get around 29% of their salary, more than those with up to 2 years of experience. This becomes approximately ₦ 207,000 per month.
Also, the nurses with 5 to 10 years of experience earn around ₦ 285,000 per month, with an increase of 38% in salary as compared to those who have experience of 2 to 5 years.
Then comes the nurses who have an experience of more than ten years. They earn an average of ₦ 353,000 per month.
Lastly, those skilled and professional nurses in Nigeria who have more than 15 years of experience earn around ₦ 378,000 per month salary.

Salary of Nurses Based on Educational Level

The salary of Nurses in Nigeria is also dependent on their educational qualifications, the higher your qualifications, the higher you tend to earn as a Registered Nurse.

Those who obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) tend to earn an average salary of NGN228,000 per month while those with a Master’s degree get a salary of NGN358,000 per month.

Salary of Nurses Based on Gender

In Nigeria the Nursing profession is regarded as a profession for female, and this has drastically affected the earning rate of both genders who pick up the nursing profession.

Registered Nurses in Nigeria who are male get an average of ₦ 257,000 per month.

Alternatively, the registered female nurses in Nigeria earn an average of ₦ 289,000, which, when compared with the male salary, is 13% more than the salary given to males. That means females make more than males in the same nursing profession in Nigeria.

Nurses Bonuses and Allowances

Aside from the salary Nurses earn, most nurses are entitled to bonuses and allowances based on their roles and the healthcare care sector they work. These bonuses add to their monthly salary to give them a higher earnings at the end of the month.

Some of the Bonuses and Allowances most nurses receive are

Call Duty Allowance: This allowance is given to health professionals working in Federal hospitals or medical centers.
Special Allowance: This allowance is given to healthcare professionals who have gained enough experience and have attained the position of a consultant.
Shift Duty Allowance: This is paid to Nurses and health care workers who run shifts (Night and Day)
Clinical Duty Allowance: This is paid to academic staff in the university who render clinical services in teaching hospitals as consultants
Non-Clinical Allowance: This allowance is paid to all health professionals who offer health services in the federal Ministry of Health or Federal Health Institutions.

FAQs

Which Country pays the most for Nurses?

Switzerland is ranked as the country with the highest average annual salary for nurses, followed by Luxembourg and the United States of America.

Nurses in Switzerland earn an average annual salary of around $94,869 thereby reflecting the country’s strong healthcare system and high standard of living.

How Much is a Midwife Nurse paid in Nigeria?

The estimated salary of midwife nurses in Nigeria is between N180,500- N200,000 per month.

What type of Nurse is most in demand?

Some of the nurses in demand in the healthcare sector are

Cardiac care Nurse
Medical- Surgical Nurse
Emergency room Nurse
Home Health Nurse

How many years does it take to study Nursing and Midwifery in Nigeria?

The Nursing and Midwifery program is a three-year nursing program at Nursing colleges in Nigeria and a four-year program at the University. At the end of the program at any of these institutions, a certificate will be awarded by each institution through the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN)

Final Thought

Nursing is one of the most rewarding career paths in Nigeria and has a lot of benefits compared to other professions. People who are nurses stand a chance of traveling abroad as travel nurses as there are a lot of opportunities for them to easily leave the country.

Nurses are responsible for providing healthcare services to needy people. The minimum monthly income that a person as a nurse can earn in Nigeria is ₦ 136,000, whereas the monthly maximum income as a nurse is ₦ 431,000.

According to these details, you can say that the average monthly income of a nurse in Nigeria is somewhere around ₦ 277,000 per month.

Also, the salary most nurses earn is dependent on their gender, experience, and the healthcare sector they work in. On average, entry-level Nurses salaries in Nigeria earn between N50,000- N80,000 in Private Hospitals while their counterparts in government hospitals earn about N70,000- N120,000.

Salary of Nurses in Nigeria