Alausa Inaugurates Technical Working Group for Armed Forces Medical College, Eyes 2026 Take-off By Beauty Akporido Aroh

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery within the Nigerian Armed Forces with the inauguration of a Technical Working Group (TWG) to fast-track the establishment of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences, which is expected to commence academic activities in the 2026 academic session.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja on Friday, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, described the proposed institution as a strategic national investment that will provide the military with a sustainable pipeline of doctors, nurses and other specialised healthcare professionals trained specifically for the unique demands of military service.

According to the Minister, the initiative marks the transition from policy approval to implementation following the Federal Government’s approval for the establishment of the College.

“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.

He explained that the institution would end the Armed Forces’ long-standing dependence on civilian universities for medical manpower while building a self-sustaining system capable of producing highly skilled military medical personnel.

Highlighting the Tinubu administration’s broader reforms in medical education, Alausa disclosed that annual admissions into Medicine and Dentistry have increased from about 5,000 before the current administration to 10,405 students, with a target of raising the figure to 20,000 within the next two years through the accreditation of additional Colleges of Medicine.

He also revealed that annual enrolment into nursing programmes has risen dramatically from about 28,000 to nearly 120,000 nationwide, surpassing the administration’s initial target. He commended the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for sustaining high professional standards that have earned Nigerian nurses global recognition.

The Minister, however, stressed that the healthcare requirements of the Armed Forces demand a specialised institution designed around military realities.

He urged the Technical Working Group to prioritise programmes such as Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Speech Therapy, alongside Medicine and other specialised disciplines essential for the treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care of personnel recovering from combat-related injuries.

“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.

Alausa noted that the Technical Working Group comprises representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Defence, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), and other strategic institutions.

The committee has been tasked with developing the academic curriculum, integrating military and academic training, coordinating accreditation, facilitating the appointment of key academic personnel and working with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to ensure the successful admission of pioneer students during the 2026 academic session.

The Minister further disclosed that discussions had already been held with the Registrar of JAMB to facilitate the inclusion of the College on the admissions portal, while the National Universities Commission has been directed to expedite resource verification and accreditation processes.

Providing an update on implementation, the Director-General of the Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme and Chairman of the Technical Working Group, Brigadier General Dr. Idris Babatunde Solebo, said the proposed institution is being developed using the successful model of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in the United States.

He explained that medical cadets would receive integrated academic and military training from admission through graduation, equipping them with specialised competencies in battlefield medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care and other military medical skills.

Solebo disclosed that the College will be situated within the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Lagos, where existing infrastructure provides a solid foundation for immediate take-off.

He noted that the Armed Forces currently face significant shortages of medical personnel, making the establishment of the institution imperative to guarantee a sustainable supply of healthcare professionals dedicated to military service.

The Minister expressed appreciation to the Honourable Minister of Defence and the Honourable Minister of State for Defence for their support and reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the project.

He expressed confidence that the Technical Working Group would complete its assignment on schedule, paving the way for the admission of the pioneer set of military medical cadets during the 2026 academic session.