Jane Salihu
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to accelerate the establishment of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences, with the Federal Government targeting the admission of the institution’s pioneer students in the 2026 academic session.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Abuja on Friday, Alausa described the initiative as a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s military healthcare system through the training of doctors, nurses and other specialised health professionals dedicated to the unique demands of military service.
He said the new institution would address the Armed Forces’ long-standing dependence on civilian universities for medical manpower by creating a sustainable pipeline of healthcare professionals equipped with both academic and military competencies.
According to the Minister, the inauguration of the Technical Working Group signals the commencement of the implementation phase following the Federal Government’s approval for the establishment of the specialised institution.
“We cannot continue to leave the brave men and women who defend our nation without a sustainable system for training the healthcare professionals they require. Neither can we continue to expect the Armed Forces to compete with the rest of the country for the limited number of doctors graduating from our universities,” Alausa said.
The Minister noted that the establishment of the college aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader agenda of expanding medical education and strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare workforce.
He disclosed that annual admissions into Medicine and Dentistry have increased from about 5,000 before the current administration to 10,405, while the government’s target is to raise the figure to at least 20,000 over the next two years through the accreditation of additional colleges of medicine.
Alausa also highlighted the significant growth in nursing education, revealing that annual enrolment has risen from about 28,000 students to nearly 120,000 nationwide. He commended the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for sustaining standards that continue to earn Nigerian nurses global recognition.
Despite the expansion in medical education, the Minister stressed that the Armed Forces require a purpose-built institution capable of producing healthcare professionals trained specifically for military operations and emergency response.
He directed the Technical Working Group to ensure that, beyond Medicine, the college offers specialised programmes such as Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Speech Therapy and other disciplines critical to the treatment and rehabilitation of military personnel injured during operations.
“This institution is not being established to compete with conventional universities. It is being established to make the Armed Forces self-sufficient in producing the healthcare professionals they require. Every programme should answer one simple question: Does the Armed Forces need it? If the answer is yes, then it should be prioritised,” he stated.
Alausa explained that the committee comprises representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Defence, the National Universities Commission, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the Nigerian Defence Academy and other relevant institutions.
He said the committee has been mandated to develop the academic curriculum, integrate military and academic training, coordinate accreditation processes, facilitate the appointment of academic personnel and collaborate with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to ensure the successful commencement of academic activities in 2026.
The Minister further disclosed that he had engaged the JAMB Registrar to facilitate the inclusion of the college on the admissions portal, while directing the National Universities Commission to expedite resource verification and accreditation processes ahead of the institution’s take-off.
Chairman of the Technical Working Group and Director-General of the Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme, Brigadier General Dr. Idris Babatunde Solebo, said the college is being developed using the successful model of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in the United States.
He explained that students would receive integrated academic and military training from admission through graduation, preparing them in battlefield medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care and other specialised military healthcare competencies.
Solebo added that the college will be located within the vicinity of the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Lagos, where existing infrastructure will support its immediate take-off.
He noted that the Armed Forces continue to face shortages of medical personnel, making the establishment of the institution critical to guaranteeing a sustainable supply of doctors and other healthcare professionals dedicated to military service.
Expressing confidence in the committee’s work, Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Defence and other stakeholders to ensure the successful establishment of the college, with the admission of the first batch of military medical cadets expected during the 2026 academic session.
