Nigeria may not be the first country that comes to mind for medical education, but the West African country has several medical schools accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. It can also offer a relatively affordable study environment compared with many other destinations, depending on the university and city. With its range of clinical teaching hospitals and public universities, Nigeria is worth considering for aspiring doctors. In this article, we will look at notable medical schools in Nigeria.
How long is medical education in Nigeria?
In Nigeria, Medicine and Surgery is normally an undergraduate MBBS or MBChB program that takes six years for UTME entrants. Some universities also admit qualified Direct Entry students into a higher level, which can reduce the remaining period of study to about five years.
What are the medical school requirements in Nigeria?
Applicants generally need five O’Level or SSC credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. They must also take the JAMB UTME, usually with Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as the relevant subjects for Medicine and Surgery. Cutoff marks and post-UTME requirements vary by university and admission year, so applicants should confirm the current JAMB brochure and each university’s admissions notice before applying.
Top Medical Schools in Nigeria
1. University of Ibadan College of Medicine
The University of Ibadan is a public university founded in 1948 as a college of the University of London. It became an autonomous, degree-awarding institution in 1962.
Its College of Medicine is one of the country’s oldest medical training centers and is listed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as fully accredited. Medical students receive clinical training at University College Hospital, Ibadan.
University College Hospital, Ibadan, was established by Act in 1952 and formally commissioned on November 20, 1957. It remains one of Nigeria’s major teaching hospitals for medical training, research, and patient care.
2. Obafemi Awolowo University
Obafemi Awolowo University is a federal university based in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. It began as the University of Ife in the early 1960s and was later renamed Obafemi Awolowo University.
Medicine and related health programs are organized through the College of Health Sciences. The Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Clinical Sciences support preclinical and clinical training, respectively.
Clinical training is conducted in partnership with Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex and affiliated clinical facilities.
3. Ahmadu Bello University Faculty of Medicine
Next on our list of notable medical schools in Nigeria is Ahmadu Bello University, a federal university in Zaria founded on October 4, 1962, as the University of Northern Nigeria. It is named after Sir Ahmadu Bello, the first premier of Northern Nigeria.
The College of Medical Sciences came into being in 1967 and is listed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as fully accredited. The college includes several basic medical, clinical, and allied health departments.
The university’s medical training includes preclinical and clinical phases, with clinical education connected to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Shika, Zaria.
4. University of Lagos College of Medicine
The University of Lagos, also known as UNILAG, is one of Nigeria’s first-generation universities. Founded in 1962, it has campuses at Akoka, Yaba, and Idi-Araba. Its College of Medicine is located at Idi-Araba, Surulere.
The College of Medicine has three faculties: Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, and Dental Sciences. The early medical curriculum covers foundational medical sciences before students move into clinical training.
Medical students complete practical clinical training through Lagos University Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine facilities.
5. Lagos State University College of Medicine
Lagos State University was established in 1983 by Lagos State law in response to the state’s call for the advancement of learning. Its multi-campus system includes the College of Medicine in Ikeja.
At LASUCOM, the early professional phase includes basic medical sciences such as Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology. Students then move into basic clinical and clinical sciences, including Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Community Health and Primary Health Care, Behavioral Medicine, and related disciplines.
The official LASUCOM curriculum outline states that instruction from 200 level to the second professional examination lasts approximately 30 months, with the first part covering about 18 months before students move deeper into clinical work.
6. The University of Nigeria – Nsukka Faculty of Medical Sciences
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka is a federal university in Enugu State. It is the first full-fledged indigenous and first autonomous university in Nigeria and was modeled on the American educational system.
Medical training is based at the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. The Faculty of Medical Sciences was established in 1966, but formal medical training began in 1970 after the Nigerian Civil War.
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria currently lists the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus College of Medicine as fully accredited. The program follows the common Nigerian MBBS structure of premedical or basic science, preclinical, and clinical training, followed after graduation by the compulsory internship before full professional registration.
7. University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences
The University of Ilorin is a federal university based in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its College of Medicine is listed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as fully accredited.
The university is known for community-oriented medical education through its Community Based Experience and Services approach, which links classroom training with community-based learning and service.
Because official curriculum and admissions pages can change, applicants should check the College of Health Sciences and admissions pages for the latest program structure and entry requirements.
8. Delta State University
Fondly known as DELSU, Delta State University is a state-owned institution based in Abraka. The Abraka campus of the former Bendel State University became Delta State University on April 30, 1992. The university now operates across Abraka and other campuses, including Anwai, Asaba, and Oleh.
Its College of Health Sciences in Abraka comprises Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Clinical Sciences, and Clinical Sciences. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria lists Delta State University, Abraka, College of Health Sciences as fully accredited.
Medical students complete clinical work through the university’s teaching hospital network and departments such as Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and related specialties.
9. Niger Delta University College of Health Sciences
Established in 2000, Niger Delta University is a Bayelsa State government-funded university based at Wilberforce Island, Amassoma. It has a main campus, a College of Health Sciences campus on Wilberforce Island, and a law campus in Yenagoa.
The College of Health Sciences includes basic and clinical medical science units, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria lists the college as fully accredited for Medicine and Surgery training.
Clinical sciences at NDU include specialties such as Surgery, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Community Medicine and Public Health, and related fields.
10. Imo State University Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
The final candidate in our list of notable medical schools in Nigeria is Imo State University in Owerri. The university was established in 1981, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria currently lists Imo State University College of Medicine as fully accredited.
After the creation of Abia State, the Uturu campus became Abia State University, and Imo State University was re-established in Owerri in 1992.
The College of Medicine trains students for patient care, disease prevention, public health, and basic clinical practice. The university also maintains a Faculty of Health Sciences with allied health departments such as Public Health, Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing Science, Optometry, and Nutrition and Dietetics.
I hope this article was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Scholarships Page and the Open Courses Page for International Students.
