The Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has approved a total investment of N110 billion aimed at improving the standard of medical education in 18 public universities across Nigeria.
This announcement was made in Abuja on Tuesday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the inauguration of the Ministerial Committee for the TETFund High Impact Intervention Project on the rehabilitation of medical schools across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
Alausa explained that the funding is part of a broader plan to revive the country’s healthcare education system, which has been hit hard by the growing migration of Nigerian-trained medical professionals seeking better working conditions abroad, a trend widely referred to as “japa.”
“Today, we are deploying over N110bn to our medical institutions across the country. Of this amount, N70bn is earmarked for the rehabilitation of medical schools,” Alausa stated.
According to him, the intervention focuses on critical areas of medical education, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy. The aim is to upgrade infrastructure, expand capacity, and improve the quality of training in these fields.
The programme will run over five years and is expected to reach a total investment of N1.5 trillion by its conclusion. Each of the 18 selected universities will receive an average of N4 billion, which includes N750 million for the construction of new hostels.
The project also involves the creation of eight modern simulation laboratories, to be distributed across the six geo-political zones, ensuring that students receive hands-on experience with up-to-date medical equipment and practices.
“This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s vision to transform medical education and healthcare delivery in Nigeria,” Alausa noted.
Also present at the inauguration was the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, who noted that this effort would reduce the need for Nigerians to study medicine abroad.
“The project aims to foster excellence in medical education, enhance healthcare training quality, and equip future professionals with the necessary skills and facilities to meet the demands of an evolving medical landscape,” she said.
Prof. Ahmad added that the government, through TETFund, is committed to providing a modern learning environment that matches global standards.
TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono said that the newly formed committee would oversee the implementation of the intervention. He explained that the goal is to renovate lecture halls, laboratories, and other facilities essential for quality training of doctors and allied health professionals.
“This is designed to improve infrastructure in our medical schools—rehabilitating lecture theatres and laboratories—to boost our capacity to train more doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists for the nation,” he said.
The 12-member committee, led by Prof. Suleiman Alabi, will monitor how the funds are used, ensure projects stay on schedule, and engage with stakeholders like university management, staff, students, and health institutions.
The 18 benefiting universities include: University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ibadan, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Ilorin, University of Calabar, University of Jos, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Gombe State University, University of Benin, Imo State University, Bayelsa State University, University of Medical Sciences Ondo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, University of Maiduguri, and Benue State University.
