FG Targets 20,000 New Medical Students Annually To Tackle Health Workers Shortage

The federal government has set a target of increasing annual enrolment into Nigeria’s medical schools to about 20,000 students within the next three years as part of efforts to expand the country’s healthcare workforce and address the growing migration of medical professionals.

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) medical simulation committee.

A statement issued by the minister’s media aide, Ikharo Attah, said the federal government is also working towards establishing world-class medical simulation centres across the six geopolitical zones to support practical training for medical and other healthcare students.

Alausa said the expansion of admissions into medical and allied health programmes must be supported with adequate facilities to ensure that increased student numbers do not compromise the quality of professional training.

He said annual admission into medical schools in the country has increased significantly from about 5,000 students at the beginning of the current administration to nearly 12,000.

“Today, I’m happy to report that we’re admitting almost 12,000 students primarily now. Our goal in the next three years is to increase the number of annual medical student enrollment in medical school to about 20,000,” the minister said.

According to him, the expansion is not limited to medical schools, as admissions into pharmacy and dental programmes have also increased substantially.

He added that nursing education had recorded an even more significant growth, with enrolment rising from about 38,000 students three years ago to more than 120,000 students currently studying across nursing institutions nationwide.

The proposed TETFund medical simulation centres, he explained, would provide students with hands-on training opportunities in a controlled environment as the country continues to increase admissions into healthcare-related programmes.

Alausa said the centres would serve medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied healthcare students.

He commended members of the TETFund medical simulation committee, led by Wale Suleiman, for their efforts in developing the framework and report for the proposed facilities.

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The minister also acknowledged the contributions of professional and academic stakeholders involved in the initiative, including representatives of relevant medical, nursing and pharmacy regulatory bodies.

He said the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the administration’s broader plan to strengthen human capital development and expand Nigeria’s healthcare workforce.

According to Alausa, the federal government remains committed to supporting the establishment of the simulation centres and expanding access to quality healthcare education across the country.

He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that more Nigerians have access to professional training while producing the skilled doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare workers required to strengthen the nation’s health system.