No plan to equate PhD with Medical Fellowship, FG insists

The Federal Government has moved to clear the confusion surrounding the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval to amend the Act governing the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College, insisting that a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree will not replace or be considered equivalent to medical fellowship in Nigeria.

The clarification was contained in a statement issued Thursday night by the Federal Ministry of Education through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo.

According to the ministry, the decision by the Federal Executive Council, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, only grants the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical 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. Tunji Alausa, said several reports in traditional and digital media had misrepresented the policy, creating the impression that the government intended to equate a PhD with the highly regarded medical fellowship required for specialist clinical practice.

He explained that medical fellowship remains a distinct and superior professional qualification in clinical medicine, earned only after physicians complete rigorous residency training and other postgraduate requirements needed for specialist certification.

Alausa stated that the FEC approval simply expands the academic mandate of the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College, which has historically been responsible for awarding fellowships to qualified physicians.

“With the new approval, the College will be able, subject to NUC accreditation, to offer PhD programmes for candidates interested in pursuing advanced academic research alongside professional medical training,” the minister said.

He added that under the proposed framework, doctors undergoing postgraduate medical training may choose to integrate a structured doctoral research pathway into their fellowship programmes where appropriate.

According to him, the initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for advanced medical research, deepen academic medicine, and enhance specialist knowledge development while preserving the prestige attached to professional fellowships.

The ministry said the clarification became necessary following widespread misconceptions suggesting that the proposed PhD programmes would place academic doctoral degrees on the same level as professional fellowship qualifications.

It explained that rather than replacing the fellowship structure, the reform introduces an additional academic pathway designed to complement specialist medical training.

Officials noted that the policy reflects the Federal Government’s broader agenda to strengthen postgraduate medical education, expand research and innovation opportunities, and align Nigeria’s specialist training system with global best practices.

The ministry reassured the medical community, academic institutions and the public that the decision does not in any way diminish the value or status of medical fellowship in Nigeria.

Instead, it said the reform is aimed at deepening scholarly research within the country’s medical training system and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global medical education and scientific discovery.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the integrity, quality and international relevance of Nigeria’s higher education and professional training systems while ensuring that policy decisions are clearly communicated to the public.