The Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, explained that the approval granted by Council under the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu enables the College to seek accreditation from the National Universities Commission to award Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in relevant medical and research disciplines.
The Minister noted that some reports wrongly suggested that a PhD would replace or be considered equivalent to medical fellowship. He emphasised that this interpretation is incorrect.
Dr. Alausa clarified that medical fellowship remains a distinct professional qualification in clinical practice, awarded to physicians who complete rigorous residency training and postgraduate medical education required for specialist practice.
The reform simply expands the College’s academic mandate. Alongside awarding fellowships, the institution may now offer PhD programmes upon accreditation by the National Universities Commission.
The Ministry stated that this approach will strengthen medical research, academic medicine, and specialist knowledge development while preserving the integrity and prestige of professional medical fellowships.
