Nigeria to Begin Training Military Doctors, Nurses in New Armed Forces College

The Federal Government has announced plans to establish the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences, a specialised institution that will train doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals exclusively for the Nigerian Armed Forces, with the first set of military medical cadets expected to begin studies in the 2026 academic session.

Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, disclosed the development on Friday in Abuja while inaugurating a Technical Working Group (TWG) tasked with accelerating the establishment of the institution.

According to a statement by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the proposed college is designed to end the military’s long-standing reliance on civilian universities for medical training by creating a dedicated pipeline of healthcare professionals tailored to the unique demands of military service.

Alausa described the initiative as a strategic investment in national security and healthcare, saying it marks the government’s shift from policy approval to 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,” the minister said.

He explained that the college would produce medical personnel equipped to serve in both conventional healthcare settings and military operations, including combat zones.

The minister noted that the initiative complements the Federal Government’s broader expansion of medical education across the country. According to him, annual admissions into Medicine and Dentistry have risen from about 5,000 to 10,405 students, while the government aims to increase that figure to at least 20,000 within the next two years through the accreditation of more medical colleges.

He also revealed that annual nursing admissions have increased from about 28,000 to nearly 120,000 nationwide, exceeding the administration’s target.

While praising the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for maintaining globally recognised standards, Alausa stressed that the military requires a specialised institution capable of producing healthcare professionals trained for the realities of military operations.

The minister directed the Technical Working Group to prioritise programmes such as Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and other specialised disciplines critical to treating and rehabilitating wounded military personnel.

The committee, made up of 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 agencies, will oversee curriculum development, accreditation, academic appointments and admissions preparations.

Alausa also disclosed that discussions had already been held with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to include the new institution on its admissions portal, while directing the NUC to fast-track accreditation processes ahead of the 2026 academic session.

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 developed using the Uniformed Services University of the United States as a model.

He explained that students would receive integrated military and academic training from admission to graduation, gaining expertise in battlefield medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and other specialised military medical practices.

According to Solebo, the college will be located at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna, leveraging existing infrastructure for a smooth take-off.

He disclosed that the Armed Forces currently face an estimated 93 per cent shortage of medical personnel, making the institution essential for ensuring a steady supply of military doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

The establishment of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences forms part of the Tinubu administration’s wider reforms aimed at expanding medical education, strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare workforce and improving the country’s defence health system.