EXECUTIVE Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdullahi Ribadu, has approved the take-off of the Jigawa State University of Medical and Allied Sciences, lamenting Nigeria’s persistent shortage of healthcare workers and describing the institution as a strategic response to the country’s growing medical manpower deficit.

Ribadu spoke on Thursday in Abuja during the official recognition ceremony of the university, where he presented the institution’s letter of recognition to the Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi.

The recognition followed the submission of the university’s Academic Brief, Physical Master Plan and enabling law to the commission, making the institution Nigeria’s 70th state-owned university.

He said Nigeria’s doctor-to-population ratio remains far below the benchmark recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), noting that the situation had been worsened by the continued migration of healthcare professionals abroad.

Ribadu noted that expanding access to quality medical education through specialised institutions remained one of the most effective ways of building the healthcare workforce required to serve communities across the country.

He commended the Jigawa State government for working closely with the commission throughout the transition process to ensure full compliance with regulatory guidelines.

The NUC boss disclosed that the commission would formally notify the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) and other relevant agencies of the institution’s new legal status.

He then urged the Jigawa State government to establish sustainable funding mechanisms for both the new medical university and Sule Lamido University to enable them achieve their mandates.

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He said that from the 2027 academic session, the university would commence specialised programmes in Anatomy, Physiology, Public Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, Radiography and Health Information Management, subject to successful resource verification by the NUC.

Ribadu added that Nigeria now has 328 universities following the issuance of provisional licences to additional institutions across the country.

In his remarks, Governor Namadi said the state government acquired the former private university as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare manpower development and reduce dependence on overseas medical training.

He noted that although Jigawa currently sponsors about 200 medical students abroad, the establishment of the university would enable the state to train future doctors locally.