By Paul Joseph
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish a specialised medical institution dedicated to training doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals for the Nigerian Armed Forces, with the pioneer set of military medical cadets expected to begin studies during the 2026 academic session.
Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, announced the initiative on Friday in Abuja while inaugurating a Technical Working Group tasked with fast-tracking the establishment of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the proposed institution is designed to end the military’s long-standing dependence on civilian universities for the training of medical personnel by creating a dedicated pipeline of healthcare professionals equipped for military service.
Describing the project as a strategic investment in national security and human capital development, Alausa said the inauguration of the Technical Working Group marked 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,” the minister said.
He explained that the institution would produce a healthcare workforce specifically trained to meet the unique demands of military operations, providing medical support for personnel both during combat and in peacetime.
Alausa noted that the initiative complements the Federal Government’s broader efforts to expand medical education nationwide.
According to him, annual admissions into Medicine and Dentistry have increased from about 5,000 before the current administration to 10,405 students, while the government is targeting at least 20,000 admissions within the next two years through the accreditation of additional colleges of medicine.
He also disclosed that enrolment into nursing programmes has risen from about 28,000 to nearly 120,000 annually, surpassing the administration’s target.
While commending the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for maintaining standards that have earned Nigerian nurses global recognition, the minister stressed that the Armed Forces require a specialised institution focused on military healthcare needs.
“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,” he said.
Alausa directed the Technical Working Group to prioritise programmes such as Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and other specialised disciplines essential for treating and rehabilitating personnel recovering from combat-related injuries.
The committee, which includes representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, National Universities Commission, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Defence Academy and other strategic institutions, has been tasked with developing the academic curriculum, integrating military and academic training, coordinating accreditation, facilitating key appointments and working with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to ensure the institution begins academic activities in the 2026 session.
The minister added that discussions had already been held with the JAMB Registrar to include the college on the admissions portal, while the National Universities Commission has been directed 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 medical cadets would undergo integrated academic and military training from admission to graduation, gaining expertise in battlefield medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care and other specialised military medical competencies.
Solebo disclosed that the college will be located at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, where existing infrastructure will support its immediate take-off.
He further revealed that the Armed Forces currently face an estimated 93 per cent shortage of medical personnel, making the establishment of the institution critical to ensuring a sustainable supply of doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals for the military.
Alausa expressed appreciation to the Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence for supporting the initiative, expressing confidence that the Technical Working Group would complete its assignment in time for the admission of the pioneer military medical cadets during the 2026 academic session.
The proposed Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences forms part of the Tinubu administration’s broader reforms aimed at expanding medical education, strengthening healthcare delivery and addressing Nigeria’s shortage of health professionals while building a self-sustaining defence medical system capable of supporting military operations and rehabilitation services nationwide.
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