The House of Representatives on Thursday passed for second reading a bill seeking the establishment of an Armed Forces Medical College to boost the nation’s military healthcare capacity.

The proposal, sponsored by Babajimi Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, aims to create a dedicated military-run medical institution responsible for training medical doctors, specialist physicians, and allied health professionals for the Armed Forces and other security services.

Benson, who chairs the House Committee on Defence, said the initiative mirrors international models and responds to Nigeria’s acute shortage of medical personnel and the growing operational demands of the military.

According to him, persistent industrial actions in civilian universities, rising migration of health workers, and the need for specialised military medical training—including trauma care, tropical medicine, and battlefield response—underscore the urgency of the proposal.

He cited a 2022 report indicating that more than 9,000 Nigerian doctors left the country between 2016 and 2018, warning that the trend continues to hamper military readiness.

“The Army’s requirement for medical doctors is at least 15 times the number available today,” Benson said, adding that poor retention across the wider health sector has resulted in dangerous manpower gaps.

He noted that military medical institutions abroad such as India’s Armed Forces Medical College and the United States’ Uniformed Services University have proven effective in producing specialists who combine clinical competence with military discipline.

Benson argued that establishing a Nigerian version would ensure uninterrupted academic training, guarantee service contracts for students, and provide the military with a steady supply of skilled medical personnel.

Under the bill, the Nigerian Military Medical College would operate as a fully accredited medical school under the Ministry of Defence, working closely with the National Universities Commission and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.