This is an information guide. Nigeria is on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, often called the "red list". Under the UK's Code of Practice, recruiters and agencies must not actively recruit health workers living in red-list countries (GOV.UK Code of Practice). NurseFlyAbroad follows the same principle: we do not show recruiter or job adverts to visitors from red-list countries.
That rule limits recruiters, not nurses. You can still learn the process, prepare for exams, and apply on your own to an advertised job. This guide explains each official step. All fees were checked on 31 Oct 2026.
What the red list means for you
From the UK Code of Practice and GOV.UK guidance for applicants:
- Agencies must not target you. If you live in Nigeria and an agency approaches you with a UK job, GOV.UK says you should reject it, because the agency is not following the code (GOV.UK applicant guidance).
- You may apply directly. A direct application is one you make yourself, to a specific advertised vacancy, without a third party. GOV.UK names NHS Jobs as one place to do this.
- It depends on where you live, not your passport. The Code says country of residence is what counts.
Quick summary of official fees
| Stage | Who runs it | Official fee (checked 31 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Verification to a foreign board | Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) | NMCN's verification page lists N17,500 via Remita; check the official site, as fees and rules have changed (NMCN) |
| NMC evaluation | NMC (UK) | £167, non-refundable (NMC costs) |
| CBT | Pearson VUE, for NMC | £83 (NMC costs) |
| OSCE, in the UK | NMC-approved test centre | £794 (NMC costs) |
| NMC registration | NMC | £182 (NMC) |
| Health and Care Worker visa | Home Office | £324 (up to 3 years) or £628 (over 3 years) (GOV.UK) |
The NMC notes that its fees increased on 1 October 2026 and some pages may still show older amounts. Confirm before paying.
Step 1: NMCN verification rules
The NMC confirms your Nigerian registration with NMCN. NMCN's verification page lists what it needs: an application letter, a verification form, copies of your current licence and registration certificates, proof of age, and the fee receipt (NMCN verification).
In February 2024, NMCN issued revised guidelines for verification to foreign boards. As reported by BusinessDay and Peoples Gazette, they included:
- At least two years of post-qualification experience from the date of your permanent practising licence
- An active licence with at least six months before expiry
- Letters of good standing sent directly from your workplace and your last training institution
- A processing time of at least six months
These guidelines were challenged in Nigeria's National Industrial Court in 2024 (TheCable). We could not confirm the current status from NMCN's website. Check the official NMCN portal (portal.nmcn.gov.ng) for the rules in force before you apply.
Step 2: English test
Nigeria is not on the NMC's list of majority English-speaking countries, even though English is an official language and nursing is taught in English (NMC list). So practice in Nigeria does not count as English evidence. You need one of:
| Test | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| OET (Nursing) | B (350+) | B (350+) | C+ (300+) | B (350+) |
Source: NMC accepted tests.
- Valid for two years until the NMC assesses your application
- You can combine two sittings of the same test within 12 months; every score must still meet the floor of IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.0) or OET C+ (writing C)
- IELTS Online is not accepted; OET@Home is accepted
- OET lists its full test at AU$587 (OET). The naira price depends on the exchange rate at booking.
Step 3: NMC evaluation
Open an NMC account, enter your qualification and NMCN registration, and pay the £167 evaluation fee. The NMC aims to tell you the outcome within 14 days once it has everything, including NMCN's response (NMC timings). If NMCN verification takes six months or more, do not open your NMC application too early: the NMC closes applications that do not progress within three months.
Once eligible, you have two years to complete registration.
Step 4: CBT, and why test security matters in Nigeria
Pearson VUE runs the CBT at its centres (Pearson VUE NMC). Fee £83; resits £83, £70 or £50 depending on the part.
In 2023 the NMC found "widespread fraudulent activity", likely proxy testing, at a Pearson VUE test centre in Ibadan. It treated every CBT taken there as invalid, affecting 515 people already on the register and 1,440 applicants. Many honest nurses had to resit, and some faced investigation (NMC statement, 20 Sept 2023).
The lesson: never accept an offer to "help" with your CBT, and choose a well-run centre. Anyone offering guaranteed passes is putting your whole career at risk.
Step 5: Registration application and OSCE
Submit health, character, language and indemnity evidence and pay the £182 fee. For police clearance, the NMC needs a national certificate for each country you lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years; regional or state certificates are not accepted (NMC).
The OSCE is taken at a UK test centre and costs £794 (partial resit £397). Your face-to-face ID check happens on the day of your first OSCE.
Step 6: The visa
The Health and Care Worker visa needs a confirmed job and a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed UK sponsor.
- Fee: £324 or £628 (fees)
- No Immigration Health Surcharge for you or your dependants (IHS)
- £1,270 in savings for 28 days unless your sponsor covers your first month
- Decision usually within 3 weeks
- Nigeria is on the UK TB test list; the certificate is valid 6 months from your x-ray (TB test)
- Salary usually at least £25,000 or the going rate (your job)
Typical timeline
| Stage | Official guide | Planning range |
|---|---|---|
| NMCN verification | NMCN 2024 guidelines said at least 6 months | 6 months or more |
| IELTS/OET | None | Weeks to months |
| NMC evaluation | 14 days once all evidence received | Weeks |
| CBT | Depends on centre | Weeks |
| Visa | Usually within 3 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| OSCE and decision | 5 working days results; 30 days decision | 1 to 3 months after arrival |
Scam warning
- An agency offering you a UK job while you live in Nigeria is breaking the UK Code. GOV.UK says to reject it.
- Never pay to "find" a UK job. GOV.UK says UK-based agencies charging candidates is illegal, and that being asked for a recruitment fee is a sign of a scam.
- Do not pay employer costs such as the certificate of sponsorship fee or Immigration Skills Charge.
- Proxy tests and fake documents end careers. See the Ibadan case above.
- Check any employer on the register of licensed sponsors.
- Ignore calls demanding urgent visa payments. GOV.UK says no official body will ask you to pay on the spot.
Use our free fake-agent checker if anyone approaches you.
Practise free
Exam preparation is open to everyone. Try our free OET Nursing mocks and NMC CBT-style questions, and download a free PDF report card.
FAQ
Can Nigerian nurses still go to the UK? Yes. The red list stops recruiters from targeting you. It does not stop you applying yourself to an advertised job, for example on NHS Jobs.
Do I need two years' experience? NMCN's 2024 guidelines required two years after your permanent licence for verification to foreign boards. They were challenged in court. Check NMCN's portal for the current rule.
Does my Nigerian nursing degree count as English proof? No. Nigeria is not on the NMC's majority English-speaking country list, so you need IELTS Academic or OET.
Sources (checked 31 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK: Code of Practice, Applying from abroad, Health and Care Worker visa, Fees, IHS, TB test
- NMC: Costs, Timings, English tests, English-speaking countries, Yunnik statement
- NMCN: Verification of certificate, Portal
- News reports: BusinessDay, 8 Feb 2024, Peoples Gazette, 12 Feb 2024, TheCable
- Pearson VUE NMC, OET fees