Senate considers allowing medical college to award PhDs

The Senate has advanced for second reading two bills aimed at expanding the mandate of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. The upper chamber also passed for second reading a separate bill to strengthen the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Act. The proposed amendments, sponsored by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, would allow the medical college to establish academic programs and award PhDs in clinical medicine, dentistry, and related disciplines.

Bamidele stated that this expansion would strengthen the connection between specialist medical training, clinical research, and advanced academic development. He added that the changes would provide a framework for doctoral programs under the accreditation and regulation of the National Universities Commission. The bills, which include provisions to remove certain ministerial approval requirements in the bureau's appointment and administrative processes, are now referred to their respective committees for further consideration before becoming law.