The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has officially approved an increase in the admission quota for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at the University of Abuja from 75 to 200 students.
The announcement was made by the Registrar of the Council, Professor Fatima Kyari, during a visit to the university’s main campus following a comprehensive re-accreditation exercise carried out by a 17-member MDCN team.
Professor Kyari praised the University for its visible efforts in upgrading its medical training facilities but emphasized the need for continued improvements. “We observed commendable progress,” she said, “but key areas like the number and capacity of resource persons, pathology laboratories, transportation systems, and clinical skills support still require further development.”
She assured that the MDCN would maintain a close monitoring role to ensure compliance with standards and would support the institution’s capacity-building initiatives.
Reacting to the development, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patricia Manko Lar, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the MDCN. “The joy we feel regarding this announcement is boundless. We opened all our doors, there was no cover-up. We did our best, and the constructive feedback from the MDCN will push us to aim even higher,” she said.
“We have been working tirelessly to grow this University and ensure our College of Health Sciences meets global standards. I am proud to be leading the University at this critical moment,” she added.
The approval is expected to significantly boost medical education access in Nigeria, as the country works to address the shortfall in qualified medical professionals.
