By Felix Khanoba
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has formally approved the establishment of Jigawa State University of Medical and Allied Sciences as Nigeria’s 70th state-owned university, describing the move as a major step toward strengthening medical education and addressing the country’s shortage of healthcare professionals.
The recognition, announced during a ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, also marks the first time a state government has acquired a privately owned university and converted it into a public institution within Nigeria’s university system.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said the development would increase access to quality medical education while helping to bridge the country’s healthcare workforce gap.
He noted that Nigeria’s doctor-to-population ratio remained below the benchmark recommended by the World Health Organisation, a situation further aggravated by the migration of medical professionals abroad.
According to him, expanding the number of medical training institutions is essential to producing the skilled personnel needed to meet the nation’s healthcare demands.
“Today’s recognition is an important one, not only for Jigawa, but also for the Nigerian university system.
“There is no doubt that Nigeria faces a serious shortage of healthcare professionals. Our doctor-to-population ratio remains far below the World Health Organization’s recommended benchmark.
“The situation is being compounded by the continued migration of medical personnel to other countries. So, in terms of the figures, if you see the doctor-to-population ratio, there may be issues.
“Some is one to 4,000, 3,500, and the figures that you see from the WHO is one to 4,000. So it’s really a problem,” he said.
Ribadu praised the Jigawa State Government for collaborating closely with the commission throughout the acquisition process to ensure all regulatory requirements were met.
He disclosed that the commission would notify the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), TETFund, NYSC, NELFund and other relevant agencies about the institution’s new status.
According to him, the move would enable students of the university to access government intervention programmes, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and other support initiatives.
The NUC boss also urged the Jigawa Government to provide sustained funding for the new medical university alongside Sule Lamido University to ensure both institutions effectively fulfilled their mandates.
He advised the university management to maintain uninterrupted academic activities and safeguard the interests of existing staff and students throughout the transition.
Ribadu explained that the institution would continue to run its current non-medical courses until students already enrolled completed their programmes, after which those courses would be discontinued.
He added that the university would thereafter concentrate solely on medical and allied health programmes in line with its specialised mandate.
According to him, from the 2027 academic session, the institution plans to commence programmes in Anatomy, Physiology, Public Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, Radiography and Health Information Management, subject to successful NUC resource verification and compliance with academic standards.
The Executive Secretary further revealed that Nigeria now has 328 universities following the issuance of provisional licences to additional institutions across the country.
On his part, Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, said the government acquired the former private university to strengthen healthcare manpower development and build local capacity for training medical professionals.
He explained that although the state currently sponsors about 200 medical students abroad, establishing a specialised medical university would provide a sustainable solution for future healthcare workforce needs.
“The students currently studying abroad will have to graduate first. After that, instead of sending students overseas, we will train them in our own university.
“We want to ensure that the doctors produced by the university meet international best practices,” he said.
Namadi said the institution would function as a specialised centre for training medical and allied health professionals to improve healthcare delivery in Jigawa State and across Nigeria.
He thanked the NUC for its support during the transition process and assured the commission of continued government backing for both the new institution and Sule Lamido University.
The governor also pledged to provide the resources needed to develop the university into a centre of excellence.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the recognition as an important milestone in efforts to address the country’s shortage of healthcare workers.
She said the establishment of the university aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to expand access to quality education, improve healthcare services and develop skilled manpower.
Ahmad urged the institution to focus on quality teaching, relevant research and community service while ensuring its programmes addressed Nigeria’s healthcare priorities.
She also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting states investing strategically in education and healthcare through collaboration with the NUC and other stakeholders.
