The Federal Government has clarified that the recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval allowing the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College to offer Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees does not equate these academic qualifications with professional medical fellowships in Nigeria.
In a statement issued Thursday night, the Federal Ministry of Education, through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, explained that the FEC decision, chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, merely grants the College the authority to seek accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to award PhD degrees in relevant medical and research fields.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, noted that several media reports misrepresented the policy, creating confusion that a PhD would replace the prestigious medical fellowship required for specialist clinical practice. He stressed that medical fellowship remains a distinct and superior professional qualification, earned after rigorous residency training and postgraduate assessments.
“With the new approval, the College will be able subject to NUC accreditation to offer PhD programmes for candidates pursuing advanced academic research alongside professional medical training,” Alausa said. He added that doctors undergoing postgraduate training may integrate a structured doctoral research pathway into their fellowship programmes where appropriate.
The ministry emphasized that this initiative is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for high-level medical research, deepen academic medicine, and enhance specialist knowledge, while preserving the integrity and prestige of professional fellowships.
Officials noted that the clarification became necessary after widespread misconceptions suggested that PhD programmes would rival fellowship qualifications. Instead, the reform introduces an additional academic pathway to complement, not replace, specialist medical training.
The Federal Government affirmed its commitment to maintaining the integrity, quality, and global relevance of Nigeria’s higher education and professional training systems, while ensuring that policy decisions are accurately communicated and clearly understood by the public.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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