The Federal Ministry of Education has announced a major milestone in Nigeria’s healthcare education sector, confirming that the country’s annual nursing enrollment has surged from 28,000 to 115,000, marking a significant step toward strengthening the nation’s health workforce.
The announcement was made on Monday through an official press statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry.
According to the statement, the leap from 28,000 nursing students as recorded in May 2023 to the current 115,000 enrollment figure reflects the success of the initiative under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at revitalizing both the education and health sectors.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining this progress, emphasizing that the administration’s focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM) continues to drive impactful reforms.
Okay.ng reports that the surge in enrollment was achieved through coordinated efforts between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, led by Dr. Alausa and Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare. The enrollment figure not only met but exceeded the government’s earlier target of 110,000 nursing students annually.
“This increased enrollment capacity signals a transformative era for nursing education in Nigeria, positioning the country to meet domestic and global demands for qualified healthcare professionals,” the statement read.
The Minister expressed appreciation to key stakeholders including the Nigerian Council of Nurses and Midwifery, teaching hospitals, industry leaders, and ministry staff whose collaborative efforts made the achievement possible.
