Economy
MDCN’s Requirement: 47 Nigerian Medical Students Evacuated From Sudan in limbo
MDCN’s Requirement: 47 Nigerian Medical Students Evacuated From Sudan in limbo
MDCN’s requirement: 47 Nigerian medical students evacuated from Sudan in limbo. Ms Ilyasu advised the affected students to formally write to the minister of education
Agroup of 47 Nigerian medical students who escaped war-torn Sudan in May 2023 are now struggling to register for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria examination due to a document requirement.
The students, many of whom fled or were evacuated by the Federal Government without exit visas, are currently racing against time to meet the registration deadline, with their future careers hanging precariously in the balance.
The students, who were enrolled at Sudan International University (SIU), were evacuated to Nigeria during the 2023 conflict in Sudan while in their final year of study.
According to the students, with the approval of the National Universities Commission (NUC), they were permitted to continue their academic programme at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday in Abuja, one of the students said: “We successfully completed our studies and graduated in 2024, receiving our certificates as students of SIU.”
He added that they were currently preparing to sit the MDCN examinations. The student, however, added that one of the requirements was presenting a first entry visa and a last exit visa.
“Unfortunately, none of us have these documents as most of our passports remained in Sudan due to the emergency evacuation. We respectfully request permission to sit for the examinations scheduled for June 2025,” he said.
The President of the Nigerian Students Association at SIU, Najid Hassan, confirmed that due to the war in Sudan, Nigerian students were evacuated by the Federal Government.
Mr Hassan explained that with NUC approval, the affected students were allowed to continue their academic programme at UDUTH following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SIU and UDUTH.
“After the MoU, we resumed studies at UDUTH in December 2023 and spent one year there. We completed clinical rotations, lectures in gynaecology, paediatrics, surgery, and medicine, and graduated in October 2024. We took examinations supervised by consultants at UDUTH,” Mr Hassan said.
He added that after graduation, students were awarded certificates bearing the SIU name.
Mr Hassan, however, said that when they approached MDCN for registration, the process, expected to be seamless, became challenging.
“We are currently preparing for the MDCN exams, but one requirement is the submission of a ‘first entry visa and a last exit visa.’
Unfortunately, none of us have these documents because most passports remain in Sudan due to emergency evacuation,” Mr Hassan said.
He appealed to the Federal Government to intervene.
MDCN is the regulatory body for Medicine and Dentistry in Nigeria and was established by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act.
The Act had been operational since December 18, 1963, and updated under the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The council’s statutory functions include setting and reviewing standards for medical and dental education.
Section 9(3) and (4) of the Act empowers the council to conduct assessment exams for holders of foreign medical or dental qualifications recognised by their countries of origin.
Candidates expected to sit the examinations are trained outside Nigeria at institutions listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
One of the application requirements is submitting relevant portions of international passports, including visa and arrival/departure stamps.
In a 2024 publication addressing students returning from conflict zones, MDCN Registrar Dr Fatima Kyari, reaffirmed these rules but expressed sympathy for students affected by COVID-19 and conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan.
Ms Kyari stated, “The council has held extensive consultations and developed remediation pathways to facilitate integration. Students graduating in 2023 or later were advised to return to a designated campus of their foreign university to complete studies physically. They can also transfer to an accredited Nigerian university, subject to NUC approval; or integrate into a Nigerian university per NUC guidelines.
Many students from Sudan and Ukraine have successfully integrated through these pathways, exempting them from the foreign-trained medical and dental graduates (FTMDG) exams if graduating from Nigerian institutions.”
She explained that the MoU with UDUTH was an academic collaboration and did not equate to clinical training for medical qualification recognised by MDCN.
Deportation
She noted that students who properly transferred and graduated from Nigerian universities approved by MDCN had been indexed, graduated, and registered as doctors.
The Federal Ministry of Education, through the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, acknowledged the situation.
She advised the affected students to formally write to the minister of education, including their names, and to copy the Director of Education Support Services to help facilitate a resolution.
Similarly, NUC Deputy Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, confirmed the development and advised the students to contact the ministry of education to resolve the issues.
However, efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, regarding the students’ plea proved unsuccessful.
Similarly, efforts to get the response of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) on the development were not successful.
The deputy provost of the medical school said that he had no authority to speak on the issue, while the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bashir Garba, said he was on transit and would respond appropriately.
Okpebholo Threatening Me With Violence, I’ll Fight Back Says Obaseki
Okpebholo threatening me with violence, I’ll fight back says Obaseki. Godwin Obaseki, the immediate past governor of Edo, has accused Monday Okpebholo, his successor, of threatening him with violence. Obaseki spoke during the weekend at an event in London, the United Kingdom.
BACKGROUND
Since assuming office in November 2024, Okpebholo has initiated a series of actions aimed at scrutinising Obaseki’s tenure.
He first constituted a 14-member committee to investigate the assets, liabilities, contracts, and financial decisions made under Obaseki.
Okpebholo then expanded the scrutiny to the state civil service, ordering a probe into all recruitments conducted between May and November 2024, alleging a violation of due process.
Last week, Okpebholo asked the federal government to repatriate Obaseki to answer questions over public funds linked to the controversial Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) project.
‘OKPEBHOLO THREATENING ME’
Obaseki said the governor is threatening him with violence and allegedly sent thugs to attack him in the UK.
“Those who live by the sword will die by the sword,” Obaseki said. “And to tell the governor, Okpebholo, I don’t know him; I have never met him. When you start with violence, you will reap violence.
“For one year since I left office, I didn’t say one word. I decided to respect myself and allow them to try [in governance] as well. Go and find out, you won’t see one thing I said about his government.”
He accused Okpebholo’s government of being behind the attack on diplomats during the exhibition in MOWAA.
“As if that was not enough, the government paid people to come to Manchester to attack me,” he said.
“Who has started this violence? Is it me? Last week, this governor held a disgraceful press conference in which he threatened me not to come to Benin.
Obaseki
“They have been threatening violence. So if I respond, nobody should hold me responsible. “I can’t leave myself empty to be hurt and attacked by deranged people.
“So I am going to fight back. I will fight back. I didn’t start the fight. They are afraid. They know they did not win the election.”
Jigawa: 9,600 Teachers Register For Special Training
Jigawa: 9,600 teachers register for special training. No fewer than 9,600 teachers under the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) registered for a competency test to determine the specific training required to improve their skills and enhance teaching outcomes in the state.
The Executive Chairman of the Board, Professor Haruna Musa, revealed this while briefing journalists on the purpose of the examination, adding that 12,000 teachers were expected to register for the exam.
He explained that the state government, under the leadership of Governor Malam Umar Namadi, was committed to repositioning the state education sector as a key foundation for sustainable development, in line with its “12-Point Agenda.”
Prof. Haruna noted that while the government has been spending significant resources to improve educational infrastructure, meaningful learning improvements cannot be achieved without also enhancing the capabilities of teachers.
“Based on that, the State Executive Council approved for the board to organise a competency test for all teachers. This will enable us to understand the kind of training each teacher requires to improve his or her skills”.
“Out of the 9,600 teachers registered for the exam, over 70% have never attended any capacity-building training since they were employed, including some with over 15 years of service,” the Chairman added.
Teachers Register For Special Training
He stated that after the exam, the teachers will be categorised into three groups: Group A, those with both knowledge and teaching skills; Group B, those with knowledge but lacking teaching skills; and Group C, those lacking both knowledge and teaching skills.
“Each group will be offered specialised training. Those in Group C will undergo intensive training and subsequent examinations for a period to ensure they are equipped with the required knowledge and skills”.
“For those with slower learning uptake, we will attach them to competent teachers within their schools for ongoing guidance and mentorship,” Prof Haruna said.
He further stated that the project is not about retrenchment, but his primary goal is to enhance teachers’ capacity for better learning outcomes within the state’s basic education sector.
PFA: Leadway Pensure Leverages Innovations For Quality Service Delivery
PFA: Leadway pensure leverages innovations for quality service delivery. A Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), Leadway Pensure said, it is leveraging innovation to escalate quality
service delivery to its retirement savings account (RSA) holders. This milestone marks 20 years of trust, exceptional service delivery, and value creation as it celebrates its anniversary. It highlights two decades of dedication to protecting the financial wellness of Nigerian workers.
Over the last 20 years, the PFA has served thousands of customers across Nigeria and beyond, standing as a clear testament to its commitment to providing financial stability at various stages of workers’ career journeys.
Speaking on this remarkable achievement, MD/CEO, Leadway Pensure PFA, Olusakin Labeodan, stated that: “As we celebrate 20 years of Leadway Pensure PFA, this milestone is more than a celebration of longevity, it is a tribute to trust, service and innovation.
From the very beginning, our mission has been very clear, to deliver a pension system without barriersOver two decades, we have transformed this vision into reality by simplifying pension access, embracing cutting-edge technology, and ensuring our services are always within reach. With a nationwide presence, a robust mobile platform, and the AI-powered assistant LISA, we have made pension services accessible to eligible Nigerians.
“We have supported countless customers in achieving life goals, from retirement to home ownership, by ensuring access, clarity and care at every step. This is a testament to the strong relationships and legacy we have built with every customer. Trust is at the heart of our service, propelling us to uphold world-class standards and earning us global certifications such as ISO/IEC 27001:2022 for information security, a mark of our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our customers’ funds. ”
Leadway Pensure
Looking ahead, the company said, it is committed to promoting youth-focused financial literacy, growing personal pension plans and strengthening customer engagement across every stage of the pension journey.
“The next years and beyond will be shaped by the same dedication that brought us this far, a future-forward mindset, a culture of excellence, and an unyielding promise to stand by our customers every step of the way,” Olusakin concluded.
As it commemorates 20 years of service, Leadway Pensure reaffirms its commitment to simplifying retirement planning, delivering consistent value, and driving financial inclusion across Nigeria.
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