The Federal Government has allocated N110 billion from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for the rehabilitation of medical schools in 18 institutions as part of the High Impact Intervention Project.
The project, which is a key pillar of Nigeria’s educational sector renewal initiative, was unveiled during the inauguration of the Ministerial Committee on TETFund High Impact Intervention Project in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, highlighted that the intervention was a direct response to the urgent need to expand Nigeria’s capacity to train medical professionals.
He added that medical professionals would be trained in four key disciplines: medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing.
He explained that the project spans 18 universities across all six geopolitical zones and will focus on rehabilitating and modernizing key infrastructure, including lecture theatres, laboratories, clinical environments, and student hostels.
“This initiative goes beyond expanding physical assets; it aims to lay a solid foundation for the next generation of healthcare professionals who will serve Nigeria and lead globally.
“We are investing over N110 billion into this sector, with N70 billion allocated for infrastructure rehabilitation, N15 billion for new hostels, and six institutions will receive medical simulation labs,” he added.
Highlighting the national urgency, Alausa pointed out that Nigeria currently faces a deficit of 300,000 doctors, with the annual medical school admission rate previously capped at just 5,000.
“We have already doubled that number to 10,000, yet we remain far from meeting our national healthcare needs,” he said.
Investment in infrastructure and medical simulation labs
The minister revealed that each of the 18 beneficiary institutions would receive approximately N4 billion, which includes N750 million for hostel construction.
- He also added that eight state-of-the-art medical simulation laboratories would be established across selected institutions to enhance hands-on medical training capacity.
- He charged the newly inaugurated ministerial monitoring committee with terms of reference, including ensuring adherence to project goals, monitoring the proper use of funds, and maintaining detailed records, among others.
Alausa also highlighted the administration’s wider education agenda, which includes boosting STEM and vocational education, deepening research capacity, and strengthening academia-industry-government collaboration.
TETFund executive secretary’s commendation
Earlier, the TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, commended President Bola Tinubu for his visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to strengthening the country’s health sector through strategic investments in tertiary education.
“This intervention is set to transform medical education by rehabilitating lecture halls and laboratories, ultimately boosting our capacity to train more doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists.”
“The intervention comes at a time when Nigeria’s healthcare system continues to struggle with challenges such as the “Japa Syndrome”.
“This has led to the mass exodus of qualified medical professionals, poor doctor-to-patient ratios, and ill-equipped training facilities.
“These persistent issues have significantly hindered the country’s ability to provide quality healthcare,” he said.
Addressing structural and manpower challenges
Echono explained that the intervention would go a long way in addressing some of the structural and manpower challenges that had plagued the health sector for decades.
Also, the Chairman, Board of Trustee, TETFund, Aminu Masari, called for the sustainability of the medical intervention to help increase medical personnel to the extent of exporting them and earning foreign exchange.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the inaugurated committee comprise Prof. Suleiman Alabi, Chairman of the Association of Provosts of Colleges of Medicine, as Chairman of the committee.
Also, Dr Oranu Ibekie, Chairman of the Education Committee, Association of Nigerian Physicians in America as Vice Chairman of the committee.
Others are representatives from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council, TETFund, Federal Ministry of Education, and an international consulting firm.
List of beneficiary institutions
The beneficiary institutions include University of Jos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Benin, Imo State University, University of Medical Sciences (Ondo State), and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (Katsina).
Other institutions on the list are University of Calabar, Benue State University, University of Maiduguri, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (Bauchi), Gombe State University, University of Nigeria, and Bayelsa State University.
Also included are Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Usman Danfodiyo University (Sokoto), University of Ibadan, and University of Lagos.
