💡 Why it matters: Too many mothers and babies still face danger around birth, and skilled midwives are one of the best ways to keep them safe.
🌍 Around the world
- Nigeria: Too many mothers and babies still face danger around birth in Nigeria, and skilled midwives help keep them safe.
- United States: Jobs for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners together are projected to grow 36% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦1.5M – ₦3.5M
- Mid-career
- ₦3.5M – ₦7M
- Senior
- ₦7M – ₦14M
≈ ₦292k – ₦583k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Nurse midwives. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Check mums' and babies' health during pregnancy
- Support mothers through labour and birth
- Spot problems early and call a doctor if needed
- Teach new parents about feeding and baby care
- Run antenatal and baby clinics
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Compassion
- Staying calm
- Communication
- Decision making
- Stamina
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- School of Midwifery after registered nursing
- Post-basic midwifery certificate
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Midwifery degree apprenticeship while working in an NHS trust
- Start as a maternity support worker
🇺🇸 United States
- Nursing associate degree, then bachelor's, then midwifery graduate programme
- Midwifery rules differ widely by state
🇨🇦 Canada
- Registered nurse degree, then further midwifery study
- Midwifery education is offered in only some provinces
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Do well in Biology and Chemistry at school
- 2Train as a nurse or study midwifery at university
- 3Complete midwifery training
- 4Register with the professional body in your country
- 5Work in a clinic or hospital and grow towards leading a maternity unit
⏰ A day in the life
In the morning you run an antenatal clinic, measuring bumps and answering questions from nervous first-time mums. In the afternoon you support a birth and place a healthy newborn in her mother's arms.