250 Foreign-Trained Doctors and Dentists Cleared to Practice in Nigeria

(Medical Graduates. Photo Credit; Premuim Times)

250 foreign-trained medical and dental graduates who passed the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s June 2026 Assessment Examination were admitted on Tuesday and given permission to practice in Nigeria.

During the council’s Pledge-Taking and Sponsorship Ceremony in Abuja, the graduates were inducted.

Twelve dental surgeons and 238 medical professionals were among the entrants, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Prof. Fatima Kyari, congratulated the newly inducted professionals and urged them to uphold the ethics, discipline and professionalism expected of medical and dental practitioners.

She explained that the successful candidates had fulfilled the council’s requirements for registration after completing the prescribed assessment process for foreign-trained graduates seeking to practise in Nigeria, describing the induction as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to quality healthcare, integrity and compassionate service to patients.

She told the inductees that the oath they had taken should serve as a guiding principle, reminding them that their duty transcends personal convenience, and urged them to continually update their knowledge and skills in line with global best practices while keeping patients’ welfare central to their professional responsibilities.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, represented by Dr Gloria Uzoigwe, Director and Head of Dentistry at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, also congratulated the inductees and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and compassion in discharging their duties.

He said the Federal Government remains committed to strengthening Nigeria’s health workforce and improving healthcare delivery through the deployment of competent medical and dental professionals.

Also speaking, Chairman of the THISDAY Editorial Board, Mr Olusegun Adeniyi, who served as guest speaker, said social media and Artificial Intelligence had transformed access to information and communication, but cautioned that these technologies also carry risks through the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

He urged the inductees to rely on credible scientific evidence, uphold professional ethics and use digital technologies responsibly in their medical practice.

One of the inductees, Dr Ummukhulsum Habib, described the induction as the fulfilment of many years of hard work and determination, saying it represented a dream come true and pledging to contribute meaningfully to healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Another inductee, Dr Chelsea Chizitere, said the assessment process had adequately prepared the graduates for professional practice, expressing appreciation to the council for maintaining high standards despite how demanding the process had been.