WEDNESDAY April 30, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng
The federal government has approved N110 billion for 18 universities to enhance medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing programmes, aiming to boost healthcare manpower.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa announced the disbursement in Abuja on Tuesday while inaugurating a 12-man ministerial committee on the TETFund High Impact Intervention Project for Medical Schools Rehabilitation across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Chaired by Prof. Suleiman Alabi, Chairman of the Association of Provosts of Colleges of Medicine, the committee is tasked with ensuring project adherence, monitoring fund usage, and maintaining detailed records. It will also engage stakeholders, including medical school administrators, faculty, students, and health bodies, to ensure effective implementation.
Beneficiary universities include Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; University of Lagos; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Benin; Imo State University, Owerri; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; University of Ibadan; Benue State University, Makurdi; Umar Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Calabar; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; University of Ilorin; University of Maiduguri; Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; and Gombe State University.
Dr Alausa said, “Today, we are deploying over N100bn in our medical institutions across the country. This N110 billion includes N70 billion on the rehabilitation of our medical universities.” He added, “With the investment today, in five years, we would have invested N1.5 trillion in our medical education.” Each university will receive about N4 billion, including N750 million for hostel construction, to support eight simulation labs across the zones and increase enrolment in medical sciences.
TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono said the committee aims to strengthen medical schools’ infrastructure, such as lecture theatres and laboratories, to produce more doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists.
“This has been designed to improve infrastructure in medical schools through the rehabilitation of lecture theatres and laboratory facilities, thereby enhancing capacity to take in and produce more doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists for the nation,” he said. He urged committee members to ensure the initiative’s success.
FG Gives N110bn To 18 Varsities For Medical Programmes
