The Federal Government has announced plans to expand the annual enrollment of medical students to 20,000 in order to expand access to medical education and retain critical health manpower in the face of the rising japa trend, which has seen many professionals leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad.
Maruf Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, made this known on Monday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the launch of the Federal Ministry of Education’s Communication Strategy (2025-2027).
According to him, the reforms are part of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), inspired by President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which positions education as a catalyst for national renewal.
Alausa disclosed that enrollment in Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy has doubled in recent years, with medical student intake rising from about 5,000 to a projected 20,000 in the 2025/2026 academic session. Nursing admissions have also grown exponentially, from 28,000 to 115,000 nationwide.
‘We have doubled the intake of students in Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy in our health educational institutions. For medical students for example, from an enrollment of 5,000 students a couple of years back, we are well on our way to achieving 20,000 this new academic year. These are all aimed at addressing the critical manpower shortages in the health sector.
‘These interventions are deliberate steps to address critical manpower shortages in the health sector and ensure that Nigerians are not denied access to quality healthcare because of the japa syndrome,’ the minister said.
He further disclosed that 18 medical schools are being equipped with modern facilities, while 1,000 laboratories are being upgraded in senior secondary schools in partnership with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
‘We are partnering with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to equip 1000 Laboratories in our senior secondary schools nationwide. ‘Nursing student intake has risen to 115,000 nationwide, from an initial figure of 28,000 which we met on ground. This would greatly increase the number of Nurses that would serve the nation despite the JAPA syndrome we are currently facing now,’
Beyond medical education, the minister highlighted other NESRI achievements, including the government’s foundational education strategy, which has expanded access to basic education in underserved and rural communities.
The minister noted that in just six months, 4,900 classrooms were constructed, 3,000 renovated, 34 model and smart schools established, and 353,000 furniture supplied, impacting more than 2.3 million learners nationwide. On tackling out-of-school children, Alausa disclosed that the Almajiri Commission has mapped nearly one million children, while 35,000 learners have been reintegrated into formal education through TVET centres. He added that 1,400 Tsangaya teachers have been trained and policies on Almajiri and non-state schools strengthened.
Other initiatives outlined by the minister include: The launch of a TVET digital platform that has attracted over 1.3 million applicants.
Free education in federal and selected state technical schools from the 2025/26 academic year, covering tuition, boarding, feeding, and a ?22,500 monthly stipend.
Nigeria’s membership of WorldSkills International, giving artisans global certification opportunities.
The training of 6,000 teachers in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to prepare learners for the digital future.
The introduction of the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), a ?10 million interest-free revolving loan scheme for staff of public tertiary institutions.
The minister reiterated that education remains central to national renewal, assuring that the government will continue to implement reforms that bridge gaps in access, quality, and relevance while tackling brain drain across key sectors.
Speaking on the Communications Strategy (2025-2027), Alausa said it is designed to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public trust through unified and data-driven communication.
According to him, the strategy provides a coordinated framework for the Ministry, its agencies, and parastatals to communicate reforms effectively. Its key objectives include: establishing clear priorities and target audiences, standardising processes and branding, enhancing public awareness of policies, and improving interdepartmental alignment using evidence-based planning.
The plan rests on five strategic pillars: Unified Messaging and Branding, Stakeholder Engagement and Public Trust, Crisis Communication and Reputation Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and Capacity Building and Professionalisation of Communication.
To achieve these, the strategy outlines measures such as appointing departmental communication focal points, activating a shared content calendar, developing a knowledge hub, and training communication officers in media relations, digital engagement, and crisis response.
System-strengthening measures include integrating communication into departmental budgets, institutionalising stakeholder feedback loops, and applying real-time monitoring to adjust messaging and channels.
Expected outcomes, according to the ministry, include consistent and credible messaging across the education sector, stronger alignment between communication and policy delivery, improved public awareness, and an institutionalised culture of proactive, data-driven communication.
Alausa reaffirmed that education remains central to Nigeria’s national renewal, adding that the twin goals of expanding human capital and building public trust will drive the sector forward under the Renewed Hope Agenda.