Zaria Nursing Bill Summary

What Is This Bill?

The Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Zaria (Establishment) Bill, 2025 (HB. 2115) is a legislative instrument of the 10th Nigerian House of Representatives to formally establish a federal institution in Zaria, Kaduna State, dedicated to training and research in general nursing, midwifery, and nursing specialties. The Bill addresses Nigeria’s severe shortage of skilled nurses and midwives, particularly acute across Kaduna State and the wider North-West geopolitical zone, by creating a federally funded, government-owned centre of nursing excellence that will produce qualified health professionals to serve Nigeria’s primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities.

Who Does It Target?

Prospective student nurses and midwives from Kaduna State, the North-West, and across Nigeria seeking federal-level nursing and midwifery training The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare responsible for health workforce planning, deployment, and regulation The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the statutory body for accreditation, curricula oversight, and professional registration Federal and Kaduna State governments responsible for health infrastructure investment, capital budgeting, and land provision Development partners — including WHO, USAID, UNFPA, and UNICEF — supporting Nigeria’s nursing and midwifery workforce expansion Communities, health facilities, and patients in northern Nigeria who bear disproportionate burdens of maternal and child mortality linked to nursing shortages

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Establish a dedicated federal college in Zaria to provide training and research in general nursing, midwifery, and other nursing specialties, directly expanding pre-service training capacity in Nigeria’s north Address the acute shortage of nurses and midwives in Kaduna State and northern Nigeria by creating a federally funded pipeline of qualified health professionals Complement the Nigeria Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery (NSDNM) 2025–2030, which targets increasing nursing school enrolment from 28,000 to 115,000 students nationally Reduce maternal and child mortality in northern Nigeria by improving the availability of skilled birth attendants and community health professionals Provide a federally accredited institution for the award of diplomas, certificates, and undergraduate degrees in nursing and midwifery in line with NMCN standards Support the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative’s target to recruit 20,000 additional health workers, 60% of whom are nurses and midwives

Key Features

Federal Establishment: The college is established as a federally owned and funded institution with legal personality, perpetual succession, and the capacity to sue and be sued in its own name Location — Zaria, Kaduna State: Situated in Zaria, a historic northern education hub hosting Ahmadu Bello University and multiple federal institutions, with Kaduna State government providing the land Scope of Training: Provides courses in general nursing, midwifery, and other nursing specialties, with capacity for both diploma and undergraduate-level awards accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria Research Mandate: Includes a formal research mandate, enabling the institution to generate evidence on nursing practice, maternal health, and health workforce management relevant to northern Nigeria Governance Structure: Governed by a Governing Council with representation from the Federal Ministry of Health, NMCN, academic staff, and other stakeholders, ensuring regulatory alignment and institutional accountability Capital Funding: Construction funded through an N80 billion federal allocation covering the Zaria college alongside three co-located institutions: a Federal College of Education, a Federal Open University, and a Federal College of Legal Studies

Current Status

Legislative Stage: Passed Third Reading in the House of Representatives on 19 November 2025; Senate concurrence secured in December 2025 (HB. 2115 — Concurrence listed in Senate Order Paper No. 75, December 2025) Groundbreaking: Ground-breaking ceremony performed in Zaria, Kaduna State in December 2024 by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, ahead of legislative finalisation, indicating strong executive commitment Construction Timeline: 18-month completion period targeted from groundbreaking; N80 billion total capital allocation covers the college and three co-located federal institutions on the same Zaria campus Sponsor: Sponsored by Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, Speaker’s designate for Third Readings; part of a cluster of Zaria-focused education bills (HBs. 2115, 2116, 2117) establishing nursing, agriculture, and veterinary colleges Committee of the Whole: Bill underwent Committee of the Whole consideration on 11 March 2025 before progressing to Third Reading, reflecting cross-party legislative consensus Alignment with National Strategy: Directly operationalises Nigeria’s Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2025–2030 and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative’s health workforce targets

How to Access

Prospective Students: Upon operationalisation, apply for admission through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the college’s own admission portal; entry requirements set by NMCN accreditation standards Academic Staff & Researchers: Recruitment will be conducted by the college’s Governing Council in line with federal civil service and tertiary institution staffing frameworks; academic positions advertised through Federal Character Commission channels State & Local Governments: Kaduna State Government to coordinate land, access infrastructure, and complementary state-level health workforce deployment; LGAs may sponsor candidates under state scholarship schemes Development Partners: WHO, USAID, UNFPA, and UNICEF can engage through the Federal Ministry of Health to support curricula development, faculty training, and equipment provision aligned with the NSDNM 2025–2030 Regulatory Oversight: The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) will accredit programmes, inspect facilities, and register graduates: nmcn.gov.ng Contact: Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Abuja: fmoh.gov.ng | Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria: nmcn.gov.ng | House of Representatives: nass.gov.ng

Important Terms

Establishment Bill: A class of Nigerian primary legislation that creates a new public institution, defines its mandate, governance, and funding, and grants it legal personality under federal law Third Reading: The final legislative stage in the House of Representatives at which a bill is debated in its final form and voted upon; passage at Third Reading transmits the bill to the Senate for concurrence Concurrence: Senate agreement with a bill passed by the House of Representatives; required for bicameral passage before presidential assent converts the bill into an Act of the National Assembly NMCN Accreditation: Formal approval by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria required for a college to lawfully operate nursing and midwifery programmes and register graduates as qualified professionals Perpetual Succession: A legal characteristic of federal institutions: the college continues to exist as a legal entity regardless of changes in management, staff, or government

Impact & Metrics

Nigeria needs an estimated 800,000 additional nurses and midwives to meet current healthcare requirements — the college directly contributes to closing this critical gap in the northern region Between 2017 and 2022, over 57,000 — approximately 30% — of Nigeria’s nurses and midwives emigrated abroad; domestic training capacity expansion is essential to offset attrition Nigeria currently has fewer than 200,000 registered midwives for a population of over 220 million; WHO recommends 44.5 midwives per 10,000 people, requiring an additional 700,000 trained midwives Nurses and midwives constitute over half of Nigeria’s health workforce and are the primary providers of maternal, newborn, and child healthcare at primary health centre level Kaduna State and the North-West zone record some of Nigeria’s highest maternal and under-5 mortality rates, directly linked to shortfalls in skilled nursing and midwifery personnel The N80 billion federal allocation for the Zaria campus cluster represents one of the largest single education infrastructure investments in northern Nigeria under the 10th National Assembly

Official Resources

Website: nass.gov.ng | fmoh.gov.ng | nmcn.gov.ng Bill Document: HB. 2115 — Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Zaria (Establishment) Bill, 2025 — available via the National Assembly of Nigeria Contact: House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions, National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja Summary prepared using the Policy Summary Template | Source: HB. 2115, House of Representatives Order Paper 19 November 2025, WHO Africa, Think Global Health, Banyan Global, NAN, National Assembly of Nigeria | March 2026

Legal Framework

Introduced under the legislative powers of the National Assembly vested by Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Operates under the Nursing and Midwifery (Registration, etc.) Act and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria regulatory framework. Aligns with the National Health Act 2014, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act 2011, and WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021-2025.