Nigeria to Establish Armed Forces Medical College

The Nigerian Government has announced plans to establish the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences (AFCOM&HS) as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery within the military and expand Nigeria’s medical training capacity.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo,

Representing the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Boriowo made the disclosure during a high-level meeting with the Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, and other key stakeholders. Also present at the meeting were the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, and the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle.

According to Alausa, the proposed college aligns with the Federal Government’s broader reform agenda, particularly initiatives aimed at strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences education.

He said the institution would “provide a structured and sustainable pipeline of military-trained doctors, surgeons, trauma specialists, emergency response medics and allied health professionals.”

The minister noted that Nigeria was grappling with a significant shortfall in medical personnel amid a population exceeding 240 million.

“Nigeria faces a growing shortage of medical professionals,” he said, adding that the country currently has a deficit of about 340,000 doctors, underscoring the need for scalable and innovative training models.

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Alausa further revealed that the ministry had increased annual medical school admissions from about 5,000 to nearly 10,000, with projections to raise the figure to approximately 19,000 in the coming years.

He described the proposed Armed Forces College as a critical component of this expansion strategy.

In line with the Federal Government’s seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new tertiary institutions, the minister explained that the Nigerian Defence Academy would host the college within its existing framework.

According to him, the institution will be located in Lagos State and will collaborate with accredited federal and military hospitals to provide clinical training.

Training activities will be anchored at designated military medical facilities, including the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital and the 661 Nigerian Air Force Hospital in Lagos.

Alausa stated that medical cadets would undergo an eight-year programme comprising six years of academic study, one year of military training and one year of housemanship.

He said graduates would be equipped with “medical expertise, discipline, leadership skills and operational readiness for military service.”

The minister disclosed that a Technical Working Group had been constituted to ensure regulatory compliance and quality assurance.

According to him, the group comprises representatives from the Ministries of Education and Defence, the Nigerian Defence Academy, as well as relevant professional and regulatory bodies.

He said the objective was to ensure that admissions commence by October or November 2026.

Alausa expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his continued support for human capital development and national security, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to working closely with defence and regulatory partners to deliver the initiative in line with extant national standards and global best practice.

NAN