FG grants N110bn to 18 varsities to boost medical programmes

The Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a N110 billion investment towards enhancing the study of four programmes in 18 universities across the country.

The medical programmes are medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing.

Each of the 18 beneficiary institutions would receive approximately N4 billion, including N750 million for hostel construction.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while inaugurating the ministerial committee on TETFund High Impact Intervention Project for Medical Schools Rehabilitation in Abuja on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Alausa said the investment, which would run for five years consecutively and expected to hit N1.5 trillion after five years, was aimed at increasing enrollment into the four medical sciences programmes.

Alausa who expressed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to improving medical education as well as healthcare delivery in the country.

The minister added that the TETFUND High Impact Intervention Project was a direct response to the need to upgrade and expand the facilities in Nigerian medical schools, ensuring that they were equipped with the latest technologies and resources.

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Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the initiative would lead to production of medical doctors in the country and end education tourism in medical sciences.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said set up of the committee was conceived as part of the minister’s initiative to enhance the Nigerian education system, specifically the medical schools, by utilising the TETFund project effectively to address critical national needs in the health sector.

“This has been designed to improve infrastructure in medical schools, through the rehabilitation of lecture theatres and laboratory facilities thereby enhancing capacity to take-in and produce more Doctors, Nurses. Dentists and pharmacists for the nation,” Echono stated.

He called on the members of the committee to give their best in ensuring the success of the initiative.

The beneficiary universities for the TETFund project are Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Bayelsa State University, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Benin, and Imo State University, Owerri.

Others include University of Medical Sciences Ondo, University of Ibadan, Benue State University Makurdi, Umar Musa Yar’Adua University Katsina, University of Nigeria Nssuka, and University of Calabar.

The list also includes Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, University of Jos, University of Ilorin, University of Maiduguri, Uthman Danfodio University Sokoto, and Gombe State University.

The Star