Japa: Nigeria Targets Enrolment of 20,000 New Doctors Yearly- Six new simulation centres coming up soon

The Nigerian government aims to significantly increase the number of new medical students enrolled in medical schools each year, with a target of 20,000 annual admissions within the next three years. This expansion is part of efforts to rapidly grow the country's healthcare workforce and provide better training to students. During a meeting with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Medical Simulation Committee, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa disclosed the government's plans to establish world-class medical simulation centres in all six geopolitical zones.

The expansion is necessary to meet the growing demand for qualified professionals and ensure that increased enrolment is matched with quality practical education. Current annual admissions to medical schools have risen from around 5,000 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office to nearly 12,000 currently. The surge includes double-digit increases in pharmacy, dental, and nursing admissions, with nursing enrolment rising from 38,000 to over 120,000.

Alausa commended the Medical Simulation Committee members for their hard work and thanked them for advancing plans for the centres. He emphasized that the initiative aligns with President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at expanding Nigeria's healthcare workforce and improving education quality. The government remains committed to supporting the development of the proposed medical simulation centres and expanding healthcare training nationwide to ensure more students gain access to quality professional education and produce a skilled workforce to strengthen the healthcare system.