Nigeria Inaugurates Technical Working Group to Create Armed Forces Medical College by 2026

The Federal Government of Nigeria, led by Minister of Education Dr. Olatunji Alausa, inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) in Abuja to fast‑track the establishment of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences. The college aims to train doctors, nurses and allied health professionals specifically for the Nigerian Armed Forces, with the first cohort of military medical cadets slated to begin in the 2026 academic session.

The TWG, chaired by Major General Idris Babatunde Solebo, will develop curriculum, accreditation and admission processes through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, drawing on existing infrastructure at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna and modelling the institution after the U.S. Uniformed Services University. Officials noted a 93 % deficit in military medical personnel and positioned the college as a strategic investment in national security and human capital. The initiative aligns with a broader expansion of medical education, where annual admissions in medicine and dentistry have risen from about 5,000 to over 10,000, with a target of 20,000, and nursing enrolments have surged to nearly 120,000.