NEWS
Nigerian Senate Advances Bills to Empower Medical College to Award PhDs, Strengthen Safety Investigation Bureau
The Nigerian Senate has passed for second reading two significant amendment bills seeking to expand the academic powers of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and strengthen the independence and operational autonomy of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The two bills, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, were considered during plenary at the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, marking another step in the legislature’s efforts to strengthen postgraduate medical education, advance clinical research and improve the investigation of transportation accidents across the country.
The first bill seeks to amend the legal framework governing the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to empower the institution to establish academic programmes and award Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in clinical medicine, dentistry and related disciplines.
If passed into law, the proposed amendment would expand the institution’s responsibilities beyond its traditional role in professional postgraduate medical examinations, creating opportunities for a stronger integration of specialist medical training, advanced research and doctoral-level academic development.
Leading the debate on the bill, Bamidele explained that the proposed changes would provide the college with the statutory authority to develop academic programmes and award PhD degrees in specialised medical fields.
“The second and most significant provision is the amendment of Section 2 to expand the College’s mandate. In addition to conducting professional postgraduate examinations, the College will be empowered to establish academic programmes and award Ph.D. in clinical medicine, dentistry, and related disciplines
“This proposed expansion represents an important step towards strengthening the relationship between specialist medical training, clinical research, and advanced academic development.
“It will create a statutory basis for the College to contribute more directly to the development of research capacity, clinical scholarship, and specialised knowledge within the medical profession,” he said.
The Senate Leader further explained that the proposed amendment would establish clearer academic responsibilities for the college while providing an appropriate framework for the development and administration of doctoral programmes under the accreditation and regulatory oversight of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
According to him, aligning the institution’s expanded mandate with its academic responsibilities would help create a more structured system for advanced medical education and research.
The proposed reform is expected to strengthen the connection between specialist medical training and scientific inquiry, potentially creating additional opportunities for medical professionals to pursue advanced academic qualifications while contributing to the development of specialised knowledge in clinical medicine and dentistry.
By providing a statutory foundation for doctoral programmes, the bill also seeks to clarify the college’s place within Nigeria’s broader postgraduate education and research landscape.
The bill received further legislative support when the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, seconded the motion for its consideration.
Meanwhile, the Senate also considered a separate bill seeking to amend the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Act, with the objective of strengthening the bureau’s independence and operational autonomy.
Presenting the second bill, Bamidele said the proposed amendment was designed to improve Nigeria’s capacity to investigate transportation accidents and incidents through a more independent and effective safety investigation system.
He explained that credible investigations were essential not only to establish the circumstances surrounding accidents but also to identify underlying safety deficiencies and develop measures capable of preventing similar incidents in the future.
The proposed changes are intended to improve the quality, credibility and effectiveness of the bureau’s investigations, ensuring that the findings and recommendations arising from accident investigations contribute more directly to transportation safety.
A key provision of the bill seeks to remove certain ministerial approval and recommendation requirements relating to the bureau’s appointment and administrative processes.
The proposed changes are aimed at reducing administrative constraints and strengthening the agency’s ability to carry out its statutory responsibilities with greater independence.
Greater operational autonomy could also help reinforce public confidence in safety investigations by supporting a framework in which investigations are conducted objectively and their findings are guided by evidence and professional assessments.
The bill was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olalere Oyewunmi, before lawmakers proceeded with further deliberations.
Following consideration of the two legislative proposals, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, referred the bill seeking to expand the academic powers of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for further legislative scrutiny.
Akpabio also referred the proposed amendment to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Act to the Senate Committee on Aviation for detailed consideration.
The committees are expected to examine the provisions of the respective bills and undertake the necessary legislative work before reporting their findings and recommendations to the Senate.
The passage of the bills for second reading indicates that lawmakers have agreed to advance the proposals for further consideration. However, the measures must still undergo the remaining stages of the legislative process before they can be passed by the National Assembly and receive presidential assent to become law.
The proposed reforms place postgraduate medical education and transportation safety administration at the centre of two separate legislative initiatives, with their eventual outcomes dependent on the findings of the relevant Senate committees and subsequent decisions by lawmakers.