The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, has welcomed the listing of the Armed Forces College of Medicine and Health Sciences (AFCOM-HS) on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) portal for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Alausa disclosed this in a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He described the development as a significant milestone in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in advancing education, healthcare delivery and national security.
The minister said AFCOM-HS was established to strengthen military healthcare services, develop specialised medical personnel and address critical manpower shortages in the country’s health sector.
He explained that the institution, located within the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, was preparing to admit its pioneer cohort of 100 cadets.
According to him, the college had secured approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to offer Medicine and Surgery, leading to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree, and Nursing Science, leading to the Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc.) degree.
Alausa said the institution would integrate medical education with military officer development to equip cadets with clinical competence, professional ethics and leadership skills required to serve effectively.
He added that the initiative would improve healthcare delivery for Armed Forces personnel while strengthening Nigeria’s national health security through the training of qualified and specialised medical professionals.
The minister described AFCOM-HS as a pioneering institution designed from inception to train military cadets in medicine, nursing and other related healthcare disciplines to meet the specialised needs of the Armed Forces.
He said the establishment of the college aligned with the Federal Government’s education reform agenda, driven by the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which seeks to improve the quality and relevance of education nationwide.
Alausa commended the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Christopher Musa, and the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, for their contributions towards the establishment of the institution.
He also acknowledged the leadership of the Armed Forces, the Technical Working Group chaired by Brig.-Gen. Dr Idris Babatunde Solebo, the NUC, JAMB and relevant professional regulatory authorities for their roles in advancing the project.
The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to academic oversight, quality assurance and regulatory collaboration to ensure that AFCOM-HS maintained the required educational and professional standards.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration among relevant government agencies and regulatory bodies in ensuring that the college delivered quality medical education and produced competent healthcare professionals capable of meeting the country’s military health needs.
Alausa advised prospective applicants to consult official AFCOM-HS and JAMB channels for accurate information on eligibility criteria, application procedures, military selection requirements and admission dates for the 2026/2027 academic session. (NAN)
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