Salary Of Nurses In Nigeria: Nursing is regarded as one of the most important professions in the world today. Without those in this discipline, no healthcare system can function. They work to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities so that they can reach optimal health. As a result, nursing is a very meaningful and rewarding profession. Becoming a nurse is not easy because it entails several financial and non-financial sacrifices. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) is required to work as a registered nurse. Additionally, some employers demand that applicants have prior experience as registered nurses.

Without a sure, every hospital requires nurses, but there are numerous opportunities for nurses. Registered nurses work for hospitals, medical clinics, and other organizations like outpatient facilities, rehabilitation institutes, and so on. The profession is more of a call to action than a job. If you enjoy making a difference in people’s lives, you will easily fit into the profession. There are lots of specialties in nursing. As a result, knowing how much these various nursing specialties learn is crucial. The organization for which a nurse works, on the other hand, is a factor in determining their pay. Another factor that influences a nurse’s pay is their experience.

The pay rate is based on level, and the care system is almost unique to Nigerian government hospitals. This is so that you can see why Nurse A earns more than Nurse B. Nurses’ pay varies greatly over the world. We’ll look at nurse pay in Nigeria in this post, and we’ve described the compensation system for Nigerian nurses below.

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Salary Structure Of Nurses In Nigeria 2024

1. Years of Experience: One of the most essential criteria that defines a Nigerian nurse’s wage is their amount of experience. Naturally, the greater one’s income, the more years of professional experience one has. A nurse with even less than 2 years of experience earns around 96,400 NGN each month, whereas someone with two to five years of experience earns around 128,000 NGN each month. A person with five to ten years of experience receives a monthly salary of 171,000 NGN.

On the other hand, nurses with 10 to 15 years of experience are paid 203,000 NGN per month. If the degree of experience is between 15 and 20 years, the monthly compensation is projected to be 219,000 NGN. Monthly pay of 236,000 NGN is paid to a nurse with more than 20 years of experience. In Nigeria, the average nurse’s wage varies depending on their level of expertise.

a. 0 – 2 Years N96, 400.

b. 2 – 5 Years N128, 000.

c. 5 – 10 Years N171, 000.

d. 10 -15 Years N203, 000.

e. 15 – 20 Years N219, 000.

f. 20 Years and above N236, 000.

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2. Educational Level: It is a well-known fact that to make more money, you must expand your knowledge base. To put it another way, the more education you have, the more money you’ll make. So you’re probably thinking about how much an additional degree will increase your earnings. Below is a breakdown of what was said.

A Nurse’s average monthly pay is 227,000 NGN when they have a Bachelor’s Degree, and 358,000 NGN when they have a Master’s Degree.This is about 58% more than a Nurse who has a Bachelor’s degree.

Nurse average salary difference by education level in Nigeria

a. Bachelor’s Degree 227,000 NGN

b. Master’s Degree 358,000 NGN

A Master’s degree program or any post-graduate program in Nigeria takes a lot of finance but if you can afford it the return on investment is worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or more.

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3. Comparison by Gender: Many people in Nigeria still believe that nursing is a female-only career, although unlike in other nations, nursing has never been an exclusively female vocation. Boys are becoming more interested in the field in recent years. While gender should have no bearing on wages, it does since women earn more. On average, men nurses in Nigeria earn 6% less than their female counterparts.

Male nurses in Nigeria earn an average of 255,000 NGN per month, while female nurses earn 273,000 NGN. As a result of these considerations, a nurse in Nigeria makes roughly 265,000 NGN per month on average.

Salaries range from 133,000 NGN to 411,000 NGN (lowest to highest) (highest). This is the monthly average pay, which includes housing, transportation, and other benefits. Nurses are eligible for a variety of incentives and allowances, including:

Call Duty Allowance: Health professionals who work in federal hospitals or medical facilities are eligible for this reimbursement. If you have completed a call duty that is usually listed on the call duty card, you should be paid your call duty amount.

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Specialist Allowance: For healthcare workers who have advanced to the level of consultant, this is a stipend. Because Nigeria has a scarcity of expert nursing professionals, those who do exist should be well compensated.

Shift Duty Allowance: A compensation for nurses and other healthcare workers who work shifts (Night and day).

Clinical Duty Allowance: This allowance is granted to university academic personnel who provide clinical services as consultants in the teaching hospital.

Non-Clinical Duty Allowance: This allowance is granted to all health professionals who work for the Federal Ministry of Health or Federal Health Institutions and provide health services.

Teaching Allowance: This is a stipend provided to nurses who train health professionals at a federal teaching hospital or medical facility. Eligible nurses are also paid a hazard payment and a rural posting allowance.

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Factors that Affects the Salary Of Nurses In Nigeria

As you can see from the table above, each level of experience has its salary range, and this is for a variety of reasons. A nurse’s wage in Nigeria is determined by several factors in addition to their amount of experience.

1. Institution: Nurses who work in government facilities typically make more money than those who work in the private sector. Even at government institutions, however, not all nurses earn equally. Federal government employees, for example, typically earn more than state government employees.

2. Qualification: Another consideration is qualification. In Nigeria, there are two routes to becoming a registered nurse. Either you go to a nursing school and spend three years getting certified as a nurse, or you go to a university and study nursing. You will receive an ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) from the nursing school, which is similar to a Diploma in other fields.

A BSc degree can be earned after completing a university degree, which can take up to 5 years. Given the same year of experience, someone with a BSc in nursing will undoubtedly earn more than someone with an ADN in nursing. Of course, extra education, such as obtaining a Master’s degree or similar credentials, will increase a nurse’s compensation.

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3. Specialty: There’s also the issue of expertise. Some professions pay more than others. Here are a few nursing specialties to consider.

a. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) – This is the highest-paid nursing specialty in the United States. In Nigeria, they are similarly handsomely compensated. This is because they do an extremely delicate treatment. That is, putting individuals to sleep using anesthetics before performing operations. To work as a CRNA, you must be a registered nurse with a Master’s degree in the field.

b. Pediatric Nursing – They work with children daily.

c. Nurse Researcher – They work to advance the nursing profession. Orthopedic nurses and academic nurses are among the others.

The greater the demand for a specific specialty, the more money can be made in that specialty. To become a specialty nurse, you must complete additional training and credentials.

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4. Allowance: Aside from basic pay, nurses may earn more or less depending on the type of allowances they receive. Specialization, hazard, working in remote locations, teaching, being on call, and many other factors are all taken into account. As a result, after earning a base wage, bonuses and allowances might sometimes make up the difference.

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How Young Nurses Can Increase their Salary in Nigeria

It is a known fact that Nigeria is not as it used to be before where education was truly the key to success. These days, most people see it as a waste of time and effort because there is no job in the country.

Consequently, one effective way to increase your monthly salary as a nurse in Nigeria is to venture into other things. Learn new skills if you don’t know any. Start a social media channel or blog. These are the most paying jobs in Nigeria currently. Another interesting thing is the fact that you can still be a nurse while you are making money from other jobs mentioned here.

The number of content consumed on the internet is increasing by the day and that is why content creators make so much money. Trust me, it is one of the best ways to increase your pay in any profession currently.

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How To Become A Nurse In Nigeria

The following is the process of becoming a nurse in Nigeria.

1. Obtain certification: If you wish to work as a nurse in Nigeria, you must obtain the proper certification. You must have completed the SSCE with at least a credit pass in each of the major science courses, which include English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

Then you try to get into a nursing school or a university.Typically, a nursing program lasts three years in nursing school and five years in university. You can earn an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN).

2. Internship: After the program, you will be assigned to a hospital for a mandatory one-year internship during which you will practice nursing and interact with other nurses.

3. National Youth Service Corps: The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a one-year service program in which you are required to serve your country. Ideally, you will be assigned to a hospital in the area to which you have been assigned.

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Facts About Nursing Practicing In Nigeria

1. Nurses are the Foundation of Healthcare: The foundation of the Nigerian healthcare system is its nurses. They are highly skilled medical specialists that offer a variety of services, including as primary care, patient evaluation, drug administration, wound care, health promotion, and disease prevention.

In order to ensure the health of people, families, and communities, nurses operate in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, communities, and research institutes.

2. Challenges Nigerian nurses face: Nigerian nurses face a number of difficulties that have an effect on their professional performance and the standard of care they can deliver. The nurse-to-patient ratio is one of the biggest problems.

Compared to international norms, the nation has a very low nurse-to-patient ratio, which increases effort and compromises patient care. The nursing profession is further hampered by poor infrastructure, a lack of resources, and out-of-date healthcare regulations. Additionally, lengthy hours, poor professional progression possibilities, and low pay provide substantial obstacles to nurses’ motivation and retention.

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3. Growth and Advancement in the Profession: Despite their difficulties, Nigerian nurses have demonstrated resiliency and a dedication to their professional development. The Nigerian Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMCN) controls nursing education and practice, ensuring that nurses complete standardized training and satisfy competency standards.

The educational paths that nurses can take include earning higher degrees, focusing in areas like critical care, pediatrics, or mental health, and continuing their professional growth. These opportunities expand their knowledge, talents, and leadership potential, allowing them to successfully contribute to patient care and healthcare administration.

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4. Contributions to the Community and Healthcare: Nigerian nurses significantly contribute to enhancing community wellbeing and healthcare results. They are crucial in encouraging healthy lifestyles, managing chronic illnesses, and educating people and communities about preventative actions.

Additionally, nurses frequently serve as the patients’ first point of contact, offering emotional support, guidance, and understanding at trying moments. Their proficiency in patient evaluation and monitoring guarantees early identification of health concerns, resulting in prompt treatments and better health results. Additionally, nurses actively participate in research, policy creation, and lobbying in order to improve working conditions, healthcare legislation, and access to care for all people.

5. Contribution to Maternal and Child Health: Nigerian nurses are essential to improving mother and child health as the country struggles to lower the rates of newborn and maternal death. Nurses help with prenatal and postnatal care, safe births, family planning, and educating moms on crucial infant care topics.

Additionally, they put up a lot of effort to promote knowledge of the value of breastfeeding, immunizations, and proper nutrition for newborns and young children. Nurses play a key role in enhancing the health and wellbeing of mothers and children across via their knowledge and caring care.

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Conclusion

Nurses in Nigeria are paid according to two main standards: the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for hospitals and the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONAUSS) for academic nurses. Many people hurry into nursing because of the rumored lucrative compensation that nurses are said to earn. Having examined the various elements that influence the number of payments made by nurses, it is clear that these criteria do not guarantee a specific salary, as the amount obtained varies by individual.

Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that nurse salaries in Nigeria vary by state and hospital, with government-employed nurses earning more than those employed in most private hospitals. Remember that Nigeria is one of the lowest-paying countries for nurses. The payment arrangement can only improve. The current salary range for nurses in Nigeria is given in this article. This information, I feel, will assist you in making an informed decision about whether or not to work as a nurse in Nigeria.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.