FG Unveils Military Medical College to Fix Doctor Shortage

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

The Federal Government has moved to establish the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences (AFCOM&HS). This strategic project is designed to tackle Nigeria’s alarming shortfall of 340,000 doctors and boost national health security.

Education Minister Tunji Alausa highlighted a stark disparity: while Nigeria’s population has crossed 240 million, the military currently has only 189 doctors. This gap makes the new institution a vital necessity for both the armed forces and the general public.

To expedite the process, the college will operate within the existing framework of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). This allows the government to bypass the current moratorium on new tertiary institutions and begin admissions via JAMB by late 2026.

Alausa described the initiative as a “strategic national intervention to strengthen military healthcare services, address critical manpower shortages within the Armed Forces, and expand Nigeria’s overall medical training capacity.”

The curriculum will produce specialized personnel, including trauma surgeons and combat casualty-trained doctors. Upon finishing their studies, these medical cadets will be commissioned as captains to serve in the nation’s defence and emergency sectors.

This move aligns with broader reforms to nearly quadruple medical school intake from 5,000 to 19,000 annually. The goal is to transform Nigeria into a premier West African hub for military medical excellence and self-sufficiency.