The Federal Government has stepped up plans to establish the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences, with the inauguration of a Technical Working Group (TWG) tasked with ensuring the institution begins academic activities in the 2026 session.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Thursday, describing the proposed college as a strategic intervention aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s military healthcare system by producing doctors, nurses and other specialised medical professionals trained specifically for the needs of the Armed Forces.
According to the minister, the institution will reduce the military’s dependence on civilian universities for healthcare personnel while creating a sustainable pipeline of professionals equipped to operate in military environments.
He said the project represents a major investment in both national security and human capital development, noting that the Federal Government has already approved the establishment of the college and is now focused on 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,” Alausa stated.
The minister said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s broader drive to expand medical education nationwide. He revealed that annual admissions into Medicine and Dentistry have risen from about 5,000 before the current administration to 10,405 students, with a target of increasing enrolment to at least 20,000 within the next two years through the accreditation of additional medical colleges.
He also disclosed that nursing admissions have grown significantly, rising from about 28,000 students annually to nearly 120,000 across the country, exceeding the government’s original target.
While commending the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for maintaining standards that have earned Nigerian nurses global recognition, Alausa stressed that the Armed Forces require a dedicated institution focused on military medicine and combat healthcare.
He urged the Technical Working Group to prioritise specialised programmes, including Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and other disciplines critical to the rehabilitation of wounded military personnel.
“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. Every programme should answer one simple question: Does the Armed Forces need it? If the answer is yes, then it should be prioritised,” he said.
The committee comprises representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, National Universities Commission (NUC), Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and other key stakeholders.
Alausa explained that the TWG will design the academic curriculum, integrate military and medical training, coordinate accreditation processes, oversee the recruitment of academic personnel and work with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to facilitate the admission of the pioneer set of military medical cadets in 2026.
He added that discussions had already been held with the JAMB Registrar to include the institution on the admissions portal, while directing the NUC to accelerate resource verification and accreditation to meet the planned take-off date.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chairman of the Technical Working Group and Director-General of the Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme, Major General Idris Babatunde Solebo, said the college is being designed after the Uniformed Services University in the United States.
He explained that students would receive combined military and academic training throughout their studies, equipping them with expertise in battlefield medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care and other specialised military healthcare disciplines.
Solebo said the institution will be located at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna, where existing facilities are expected to support a smooth commencement of academic activities.
He further disclosed that the Armed Forces currently face an estimated 93 per cent shortfall in medical personnel, making the establishment of the college essential for building a sustainable military healthcare workforce.
Alausa thanked the Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence for supporting the initiative and expressed confidence that the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences would successfully admit its first batch of students during the 2026 academic session.
