The Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna) has revealed plans to establish a medical school to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals and enhance local educational opportunities.
The announcement was made by the Pro-Chancellor of FUT Minna, Dr Muhammad Santuraki, during a courtesy visit by the university’s governing council to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago.
Dr Santuraki explained that the proposed medical school will partner with the Federal Medical Center in Bida as its teaching facility, providing students with hands-on medical training in a local healthcare setting.
Santuraki who said that the university has maintained a strong reputation over time, noted that the institution consistently ranks among Nigeria’s top ten universities, outperforming some first-generation institutions according to Times Higher Education rankings.
“Our graduates in technology fields are highly sought after,” he added.
He added that FUT Minna has recently received approval to offer seven new programs, including public health, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and forensic science, expanding the institution’s academic portfolio.
In his remarks, the Niger state governor while commending the initiative, emphasized the need to train medical professionals within Niger State to ensure a stable local healthcare workforce.
“Right now, there is apathy of medical workers and if you don’t train people within your location, nobody will leave their location to come to yours.”
The governor further announced the donation of N100 million to FUT Minna to facilitate the construction of hostels for students.
The governor also encouraged the university to collaborate with other institutions on research and development projects and pledged his administration’s continued support for educational institutions across Niger State.
