The Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has announced a N110 billion investment to upgrade infrastructure and expand capacity in medical education across 18 Nigerian universities.
The initiative, part of the TETFund High Impact Intervention Project for Medical Schools Rehabilitation, targets key programmes in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing. Each of the selected universities will receive approximately N4 billion, with N750 million earmarked specifically for hostel construction.
Beneficiary institutions include:
- South-East & South-South: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, University of Calabar, University of Benin, Imo State University
- South-West: University of Lagos, University of Medical Sciences Ondo, University of Ibadan
- North-Central: University of Ilorin, University of Jos, Benue State University
- North-East: University of Maiduguri, Gombe State University, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
- North-West: Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Umar Musa Yar’Adua University, Uthman Danfodio University Sokoto
- South-South: Bayelsa State University
- South-East: University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who inaugurated the ministerial committee overseeing the project on Tuesday in Abuja, stated that the intervention is part of a five-year plan to inject N1.5 trillion into medical education.
“This initial N110 billion covers N70 billion for infrastructure rehabilitation, and will drive enrolment and upgrade facilities across the four major health science disciplines,” Alausa said. He added that eight simulation labs would also be established across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the project would enhance the quality of medical training and help curtail medical education tourism. “This effort is about producing skilled health professionals locally, in line with global standards,” she noted.
TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, emphasized that the intervention is designed to tackle key gaps in medical school infrastructure, particularly lecture theatres and laboratories, to boost student intake and output in the health sciences.
A 12-member monitoring committee, led by Prof. Suleiman Alabi, has been tasked with ensuring accountability, effective fund utilization, and stakeholder engagement throughout the project’s implementation.
