NMC CBT Test Centers in Nigeria: Locations, Fees, Booking & the Yunnik Fraud Case (2026)

What Is the NMC CBT?

The NMC Computer-Based Test (CBT) is a computer-based assessment that evaluates an internationally educated nurse’s numeracy and nursing knowledge as part of the UK NMC registration process. It consists of Part A: Numeracy and Part B: Nursing. Applicants must complete both the CBT and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) within two years of each other. While the CBT and OSCE can be taken in either order, both components must be successfully completed before an applicant can proceed with their initial NMC registration.

Where Can You Sit the NMC CBT in Nigeria?

Pearson VUE has authorised test centres in several Nigerian cities, historically including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. There are no single fixed, permanent list  centres added, suspended and removed by Pearson VUE on the NMC's behalf, and the Yunnik case below is the clearest example of why that matters.

Always search the live centre list inside your NMC portal's Pearson VUE booking link at the moment you book, see the official NMC Test of Competence page and Pearson VUE's NMC testing page. Don't rely on a blog post, forum thread or agent's list that may reference a centre that's since been suspended.

The £1,170 figure covers the full Test of Competence journey excluding your English test, UK travel, and OSCE preparation. NMC fees are reviewed periodically — confirm current amounts on nmc.org.uk before you budget.

How to Book Your NMC CBT: Step by Step

1.   Complete document verification with the NMC first. You cannot book a CBT until the NMC has reviewed your qualifications and confirmed you're eligible for the Test of Competence.

2.   Pass an accepted English Test  

            IELTS Academic: Overall score of at least 7.0, with at least 7.0 in listening,   reading, and speaking, and at least 6.5 in writing.

           Occupational English Test (OET): At least a Grade B in listening, reading, and speaking, and at least a Grade C+ in writing

3.   Log in to your NMC portal and follow the link through to Pearson VUE's booking system; you cannot book directly on Pearson VUE's general site.

4.   Search for an active, currently-approved centre near you and confirm it's live before paying centre availability changes without much notice.

5.   Pay the CBT fee (£83) directly to Pearson VUE and select a date; bookings can sometimes be made as little as one working day in advance.

6.   Bring valid, government-issued passport ID matching the name and details on your NMC application  mismatches are one of the most common reasons candidates are turned away on test day.

The Yunnik/Ibadan Case: What Every Nigerian CBT Candidate Should Know

In May 2023, the NMC's test provider Pearson VUE flagged “anomalous data” at a third-party CBT centre  Yunnik Technologies, in Ibadan. An initial review covered around 1,970 candidates who had tested there, of whom 512 were already on the NMC register at the time. The pattern that triggered the alert was completion time: candidates at Yunnik were finishing the exam far faster than test-takers anywhere else in the world, consistent with the use of proxies or advance access to test content.

The investigation widened significantly over the following months. By later in 2023, the NMC had declared CBT results from Yunnik invalid for nearly 2,000 Nigerian-trained professionals, with several hundred referred to formal fitness-to-practise hearings over suspected fraudulent entry to the register. Some of those individual appeal hearings were still being decided as recently as early 2026. Pearson VUE separately stopped using roughly 40 of its 800 global CBT centres as a result of the broader review the case triggered.

This is not a reason to distrust the NMC pathway itself. The NMC has been explicit that no other test site showed similar issues, and thousands of Nigerian-trained nurses have joined the UK register safely through the normal process and are practising there right now. It is, however, a concrete reason to be deliberate about how you book and sit your own test.

How to Protect Your Application

• Book only through your official NMC portal link to Pearson VUE. Never through a third party promising a faster date, a specific “friendly” centre, or a guaranteed result.
• Never let anyone else sit the test for you, and never agree to sit it for someone else. This is precisely the pattern the NMC's Yunnik investigation was built around, and it can end a nursing career before it starts.
• Take the time you need. Completion-time data was one of the NMC's central red flags in this case there's no reward for finishing early, and unusually fast times can draw scrutiny even on a genuine result.
• Keep your own records, booking confirmation, the ID used, travel evidence to your test centre  in case your application is ever asked to demonstrate a legitimate sitting.
• Work with a transparent, licensed application service. NEAC manages NMC applications directly through official NMC and Pearson VUE channels, not through informal arrangements at specific centres.

What Happens After You Pass the CBT?

Your CBT pass is valid for two years, during which you must book and pass the OSCE, the practical exam held at an approved centre inside the UK. First-attempt OSCE pass rates currently range from roughly 38% to 54% depending on the centre, so most candidates benefit from structured preparation before travelling. See our companion guide, NMC UK: CBT, OSCE & the Full Process, for the complete OSCE breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where do I book my NMC CBT in Nigeria?

Through Pearson VUE's official booking portal, accessed via your NMC online account, never directly with a test centre. Cities that have hosted centres include Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, but always confirm the current list at the time you book.

Q: How much does the NMC CBT cost from Nigeria?

The NMC registration process includes four main fees: £140 for the Eligibility Assessment, £83 for the CBT, £794 for the OSCE, and £153 for the Admission and Registration Fee, with reduced fees available for CBT and OSCE resits where applicable. Applicants should also budget for additional expenses such as English language tests, document processing, and travel, which are separate from the NMC fees. 

Q: Is the Yunnik test centre in Ibadan still open?

No. Pearson VUE suspended testing at Yunnik Technologies in May 2023 after finding evidence of large-scale fraud, and the NMC has treated CBT results from that centre as invalid.

Q: What happens if I passed my CBT at a centre later found to have issues?

The NMC contacts affected candidates directly and generally offers a free resit through Pearson VUE. Declining to resit, or failing three resit attempts, can result in an application being closed or an existing registration being referred for formal review.

Q: How long is my NMC CBT result valid?

Two years, to book and pass the OSCE. Once both parts of the Test of Competence are passed, the combined result is valid for five years for registration purposes.