Breaking Barriers: FUOYE’s Proposed One-Year Route to Nursing Degree

Breaking Barriers: FUOYE’s Proposed One-Year Route to Nursing Degree

Ilupeju-Ekiti, Nigeria – 29 October 2025

Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) is set to introduce a groundbreaking one-year Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) conversion programme, offering a fast-track degree for the first cohort of Higher National Diploma (HND) nurses emerging from Nigeria’s newly reformed five-year collegiate system.

The announcement came during an exclusive interview with Fellow Nurses Africa, where Professor Adelani Tijani, Director of the Institute of Nursing Sciences at FUOYE’s Ilupeju-Ekiti campus, outlined the university’s strategic response to a national crisis in nursing qualifications.

A Degree or Obsolescence: The Federal Mandate

“Nurses can spend up to 12 years moving from one post-basic programme to another – RM, RPHN, ophthalmic, and more – yet still have no degree,” Prof Tijani said. “Now, a federal government circular is clear: without a university degree in nursing, all professional certificates will be treated as non-existent.”

This directive, issued under reforms by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), requires all schools of nursing to merge with nearby universities and transition to a collegiate model. The goal: unify basic and post-basic training under one academic framework and ensure degree-level qualification as the minimum for career sustainability.

FUOYE: The Federal Pioneer

Administrative delays have stalled most mergers, but FUOYE leads the way. In 2021, it became the first federal university to fully absorb a school of nursing – integrating the Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti facility.

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Only two state-level precedents exist:

• Ondo State School of Nursing, Akure – merged with the University of Medical Sciences, Ilaje (under former Governor Olusegun Mimiko)
• Benue State School of Nursing, Makurdi – absorbed by Benue State University

High-profile institutions like the University of Ibadan (UI) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) have yet to complete integration with their affiliated teaching hospital schools, despite early expectations.

The One-Year BNSc Conversion: Structure and Debate

The proposed one-year programme targets graduates of the new five-year HND pathway:

1. Year 1–3: Registered Nurse (RN)
2. Year 4: Specialisation (Midwifery or Public Health Nursing)
3. Year 5: Supervised internship

“These nurses will have already completed rigorous clinical and academic training,” Prof Tijani explained. “We are exploring a one-year BNSc conversion to bridge them to degree status efficiently.”

However, debate persists. “Some stakeholders argue for a two-year duration to ensure depth,” he acknowledged. “We will finalise the structure when the first HND cohort graduates – we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Parallel Pathway: The Accredited Three-Year Part-Time BNSc

While the one-year conversion is in development, FUOYE has already launched a fully accredited three-year part-time BNSc for practising Registered Nurses (RNs).

Key features:

• Hybrid delivery: Online modules + intensive residential blocks
• Schedule: 4 weeks of teaching + 2 weeks of exams per session, aligned with individual duty rosters
• Clinical assessment: Conducted at students’ workplaces by FUOYE lecturers
• Curriculum: NUC-approved, identical to the full-time BNSc but excluding prior RN training modules
• Accreditation: All four NUC stages completed – full approval secured

“We maintain the same standards as the University of Ibadan’s Open Distance Learning programme,” Prof Tijani affirmed. “This is not a diluted degree – it is university education tailored for working professionals.”

Career Impact: From Stagnation to Directorate

The stakes are high. “Without a BNSc, nurses cannot rise to directorate cadre in the civil service – no matter how many post-basic certificates they hold,” Prof Tijani warned.

The one-year conversion, once implemented, would:

• Accelerate access to leadership roles
• Enhance eligibility for international certification and migration
• Align Nigerian nurses with global degree-based standards

Clarifying Scope: Upskilling, Not Recruitment

“This initiative does not address the nursing shortage in numbers,” Prof Tijani emphasised. “We are not producing new nurses. We are elevating the existing workforce – giving them the academic credential required to lead, teach, and compete globally.”

FUOYE’s main Oye-Ekiti campus continues to admit fresh school-leavers and direct-entry candidates (with prior degrees) through its Department of Nursing. The Ilupeju-Ekiti Institute, however, remains dedicated exclusively to professional upskilling.

A National Model in Motion

With Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ibadan, and LAUTECH already offering flexible degree pathways, FUOYE’s dual-track approach – three-year part-time and one-year conversion – positions it as a leader in accessible, high-quality nursing education.

As the first HND nursing graduates approach completion, FUOYE’s one-year BNSc could become the template for rapid, equitable degree attainment across Nigeria’s 200,000-strong nursing workforce.

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