The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Fatima Kyari, says the council generated no less than N458 billion in 2024 and 2025.

Ms Kyari disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during the 2026 budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).

She said, “We generated N458 billion over the two years, 2024 and 2025.”

She noted that, like many regulatory agencies in the health sector, the council did not receive the N1.2 billion capital vote appropriated to it in the 2025 fiscal year.

According to her, only N37.5 million was released from the N100 million approved for overhead costs, while N13.859 billion was released from the N16.8 billion earmarked for personnel costs in the same fiscal year.

The registrar said the expansion of medical schools across the country was a key component of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative.

She said, “We all know the impact of doctor migration. It has placed enormous strain on those who remain. In line with the President’s vision, we have decided to increase the number of doctors being trained, despite the rising mobility of our workforce.”

Ms Kyari said that the growing migration of Nigerian-trained doctors to other countries reflected the quality of medical training in the country.

“We will continue to train more doctors so we can better serve our people. At the same time, it is imperative to retain those we train by strengthening specialist training and providing clear career paths for doctors who remain.

“Doctors are at the core of healthcare delivery, and the MDCN is at the forefront of these reforms. We are modernising our regulatory processes and strengthening accreditation,” she said.

She added that the council managed about 4,000 house officers over the years through its centralised housemanship system.

“These are first-year graduate medical doctors who pass through the MDCN-managed centralised housemanship system, which covers federal hospitals, federal medical centres and teaching hospitals.

“State, private and military hospitals are not part of this system,” said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ipalibo Banigo, gave the assurance that the committee would ensure adequate funding for the council.

(NAN)