The National Universities Commission, NUC, has formally approved the Jigawa State University of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, Majia, paving the way for the institution to commence admissions into its new programmes.
While presenting the certificate of recognition, NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, described the institution as Nigeria’s 70th state-owned university, stating that its approval formed part of the Commission’s recent issuance of provisional licences to 15 universities.
“This university is now the 70th state university. I once again congratulate you on this achievement,” Ribadu said, adding that “we will now have a total of 328 universities in the country.”
The NUC boss said the university would gradually discontinue its existing conventional programmes after the current students graduate and focus exclusively on medical and allied health sciences.
He disclosed that the institution would begin with programmes including Anatomy, Physiology, Public Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, Radiography, Health Information Management and Pharmacy.
He, however, cautioned the management against admitting students into the new programmes without first obtaining NUC resource verification.
“Before you start, please ensure that you call the NUC for resource verification. We have to check whether you have the requisite facilities in terms of infrastructure and staff before you commence those programmes,” Ribadu said.
Responding, Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, described the approval as a landmark achievement for the state, noting that the institution was acquired from private ownership and converted into a specialised medical university to address the state’s growing healthcare workforce needs.
“Currently, we have close to 200 students studying medicine outside this country, and they are all being sponsored by the state government. We felt we needed a home-grown system that would take care of our needs,” the governor said.
According to him, the decision was driven by the increasing demand for doctors and other healthcare professionals to serve the state’s expanding network of hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
“The establishment of this university is about providing the manpower needed for our healthcare system. We will continue to support this university to ensure it succeeds,” Namadi added.
On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the recognition of the university aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to strengthen medical education and healthcare delivery under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“With our growing population and increasing burden of diseases, the need to expand access to quality training for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other allied health professionals has never been more urgent,” she said.
She described the specialised university as “timely and strategic,” noting that it would not only serve Jigawa State but also contribute to addressing Nigeria’s shortage of healthcare professionals.
The minister urged the university to focus on quality, relevance and service by producing competent and ethical graduates, aligning its curriculum with Nigeria’s health needs and building strong partnerships with hospitals and communities.
“The Federal Government remains committed to supporting states making genuine investments in education and health, and we will continue to work with Jigawa State and the NUC to ensure this university grows into a centre of excellence,” Ahmad said.
