The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to fast-track the establishment of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences, a specialised institution expected to begin admitting military medical cadets in the 2026 academic session.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee in Abuja, describing the proposed college as a strategic investment in national security and human capital development.
According to the Minister, the institution will provide the Nigerian Armed Forces with a sustainable pipeline of doctors, nurses and other specialised healthcare professionals trained specifically to meet the operational demands of military service, reducing reliance on civilian institutions.
He explained that the inauguration of the Technical Working Group follows the Federal Government’s approval for the establishment of the college and marks the transition from policy approval to implementation.
“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 initiative complements the Federal Government’s ongoing expansion of medical education nationwide.
He disclosed that annual admissions into Medicine and Dentistry have increased from about 5,000 before the current administration to 10,405 students, with a target of raising admissions to at least 20,000 within the next two years through the accreditation of additional Colleges of Medicine.
Alausa also revealed that annual enrolment into nursing programmes has increased from about 28,000 to nearly 120,000 students nationwide, surpassing the administration’s target.
He, however, stressed that the Armed Forces require a purpose-built institution capable of producing healthcare professionals trained specifically for military operations.
The Minister urged the Technical Working Group to prioritise programmes such as Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and other specialised disciplines that support the treatment and rehabilitation of personnel recovering from combat-related injuries.
“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 said.
According to him, the Technical Working Group comprises representatives of 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 strategic institutions.
He said the committee would develop the academic curriculum, integrate academic and military training, coordinate accreditation, facilitate the appointment of key academic personnel and work with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to ensure the successful commencement of academic activities in the 2026 academic session.
The Minister further disclosed that he had engaged the Registrar of JAMB to facilitate the inclusion of the college on the admissions portal and directed the National Universities Commission to fast-track resource verification and accreditation processes.
Providing an update on preparations, the Director-General of the Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme and Chairman of the Technical Working Group, Major General Idris Babatunde Solebo, said the institution is being modelled after the Uniformed Services University in the United States.
He explained that the college will combine academic and military training to equip students with competencies in battlefield medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care and other specialised military healthcare skills.
Solebo added that the institution will be located at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, where existing infrastructure will support its immediate take-off.
According to him, the Armed Forces currently face an estimated 93 per cent shortage of medical personnel, making the establishment of the college critical to strengthening military healthcare.
Alausa expressed appreciation to the Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence for supporting the initiative and expressed confidence that the college would admit its pioneer military medical cadets during the 2026 academic session.
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