By Correspondent in Ilorin.
In a significant move to strengthen healthcare education and reduce medical tourism in Nigeria, Summit University, Offa has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kwara State Hospital Management Board (KSHMB). The agreement marks a major step towards the establishment of the university’s proposed College of Health Sciences.
The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Kwara State Hospital Management Board in Ilorin. The university delegation was led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abiodun Musa Aibinu. Other members of the delegation included Professor Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, a member of the Board of Trustees and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; Mr Mustapha Kadiri, Acting Registrar; Dr A. O. Murana, Acting Director of Academic Planning; Miss Modinat Arowolo, a member of the Committee on the Establishment of the College of Health Sciences; and Mr Samuel Taiwo Ogundeyi.
With the MoU in place, the university is set to launch academic programmes in core areas such as Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health, Environmental Health, Healthtronics, and other allied disciplines.
Welcoming the delegation, the Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Dr Abdulraheem Malik, commended the vision of Summit University and pledged the Board’s support. He stated that the partnership aligns with the health workforce development goals of the Kwara State Government. He also announced the Board’s intention to pay a courtesy visit to the university in the near future, to familiarise itself with the university’s facilities and academic readiness for the proposed programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the university’s proprietor, the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Professor Olatinwo expressed gratitude for the warm reception and support. He reaffirmed the Society’s long-standing commitment to national development through education.
Professor Aibinu described the partnership as a strategic response to Nigeria’s high dependence on foreign medical services. He explained that by producing skilled, globally competent health professionals, the university aims to reduce the need for Nigerians to seek medical treatment abroad. He added that the new College of Health Sciences will also contribute to closing the health workforce gap and supporting the growth of the country’s healthcare system and industry.
The event was attended by key directors from the Hospital Management Board who witnessed the formal signing.
The collaboration is expected to promote academic excellence, healthcare innovation, and national development, while equipping a new generation of professionals to serve in Nigeria and across the globe.
