The Federal Government has earmarked over N217bn for the next two years to upgrade medical education and expand healthcare training across Nigeria, a move the Tinubu Administration says is central to building a stronger health system rooted in quality teaching, research, innovation and human capital development.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the funding commitment on Wednesday while declaring open the Inaugural International Conference of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.
He said President Bola Tinubu’s government is operating on the premise that lasting progress in healthcare will only come from sustained investment in the institutions that produce doctors, nurses, pharmacists, scientists and other health professionals.
Addressing the conference theme, “Precision in Practice: Integrating Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Clinical Insights for Patient-Centered Care,” Alausa observed that global healthcare is being transformed by artificial intelligence, genomics, digital pathology and precision medicine. He stressed that Nigeria’s medical training must evolve in step with those advances.
According to the Minister, the government has already committed over N97bn to medical education in 2025 through Special High Impact Projects designed to widen training capacity.
He added that a further N120.5bn has been approved for 2026 to help medical colleges improve infrastructure, procure equipment, expand teaching facilities and create better learning environments for students.
As part of the broader overhaul, Alausa disclosed plans to set up Medical Simulation and Technology Centres across the country.
The centres, he said, will give students access to modern, simulation-based instruction that meets international standards and sharpens practical skills and clinical readiness.
He described the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences’ work in precision medicine, cancer genomics, artificial intelligence, digital pathology, clinical research and biobanking as critical to Nigeria’s ambitions in healthcare innovation and biomedical science.
The Minister praised the Faculty for creating a N1bn Endowment Fund and urged alumni, development partners, corporate bodies and philanthropists to back efforts that raise standards in medical education and research.
Alausa also highlighted Federal Government approval for the National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF) which is intended to strengthen Nigeria’s science and technology base.
He explained that the fund will provide consistent financing for research, innovation and the commercialization of discoveries in universities, research institutes and industry.
It is also expected to reduce fragmentation in the research sector by fostering closer collaboration between academia, government and the private sector.
Earlier in the programme, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, called the conference a significant milestone that underscores the university’s drive for academic excellence, innovation and global competitiveness.
She noted that the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences was established to advance biomedical research, diagnostic medicine and healthcare innovation.
Ogunsola pointed to the Faculty’s early achievements, which include hosting its first international conference, launching an academic journal and inaugurating the N1bn Endowment Fund.
She expressed confidence that the Faculty would grow into one of Africa’s leading centres for biomedical research and scientific excellence.
A statement signed by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, said the conference drew scholars, clinicians, researchers, policymakers and development partners from Nigeria and abroad to discuss new approaches to diagnostics, therapeutics and patient-centred care.
(The Whistler)