In a significant boost for Nigeria’s healthcare and medical education sectors, the Federal Government has committed to fully funding scholarships for doctors, medical students, and other healthcare professionals seeking specialised training in robotic surgery.
The pledge accompanies the official launch of the country’s first dedicated robotic surgery training centre The Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) RoboMed Robotic Academy in Redemption City, Ogun State.
The academy plans to produce 400 robotic specialists over the next two years, building a homegrown pipeline of expertise in advanced, minimally invasive procedures and reducing reliance on foreign training and medical tourism.
Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa inaugurated the academy on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Redeemer’s Health Village along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He described the facility as a major milestone that would enable Nigerian surgeons and related professionals to acquire cutting-edge skills without travelling abroad.
Speaking at the event, the minister said the academy would ensure the country has a new generation of surgeons.
He said, “This occasion speaks directly to our responsibility to prepare Nigerians for the future of medicine and to build the capacity that will allow advanced clinical practice to flourish here at home.
“It is my belief that today will be remembered as a turning point in Nigerian medical practice. We are not gathered here merely to cut a ribbon or unveil something beautiful.
We are gathered here to open a door. A door through which a new generation of Nigerian surgeons will walk into the future of their profession without having to leave their homeland to do so.”
Responding to a request for government support, Alausa announced that the academy would be designated a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Centre of Excellence, reportedly the 29th such centre.
Eligible participants will receive full funding through TETFund’s local scholarship scheme. He emphasised rapid implementation, including coordination with TETFund’s Director of Academic Programmes and a partnership involving the academy and Redeemer’s University.
“Now, let me come to the request. Honestly, you don’t even need to ask. You will get more than a scholarship. You have carefully created a partnership that is ready for the government to really support you. So, what we are going to do is make this part of the TETFund-funded Centre of Excellence.
“I am going to move this forward quickly. I will arrange for you to meet with the Director of Academic Programmes at TETFund so that we can move quickly and make this a partnership involving this academy and Redeemer’s University”.
“Any student who is going to participate will be fully funded by TETFund,” the minister stated, underscoring that the support goes beyond ordinary scholarships given the academy’s structured partnership model.
Partnerships, Infrastructure, and Training Scope
The RHV–RoboMed Robotic Academy is a collaboration between Redeemer’s Health Village, RoboMed Global, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), and Redeemer’s University. RHV and RoboMed have invested approximately $4 million in two surgical robotic systems with one dedicated to clinical services and patient care, the other to training and simulation.
According to RHV Chief Executive Officer Dr. Adedamola Dada, the programme targets 400 specialists within two years. Core clinical focus areas include urology, general surgery, and gynaecology. Critically, training extends across the full robotic surgery ecosystem: operating theatre personnel, biomedical engineers, nurses, product specialists, and hospital administrators. This team-based approach draws inspiration from aviation safety principles, emphasising simulation, communication, and coordinated practice.
The curriculum is structured as a postgraduate, post-fellowship diploma programme.
The National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria will oversee academic standards and issue certifications, ensuring international recognition.
Redeemer’s University will lead specialised training for nursing teams and biomedical maintenance engineers. Training pathways incorporate didactic lectures, dry and wet laboratory sessions including cadaver and animal models, simulation, supervised clinical practice, examination, and credentialing.
Dada noted that RHV recently received full accreditation as an academic medical school, further strengthening its capacity to deliver this advanced programme. Earlier in 2026, RHV had already begun offering robotic surgical services in partnership with RoboMed Global, with the academy designed to create a sustainable local talent pipeline rather than relying on foreign specialists.
Nigeria has long faced challenges of medical brain drain, limited access to specialised training, and outbound medical tourism that drains foreign exchange. By establishing Nigeria’s first dedicated robotic surgery academy and pairing it with full TETFund scholarships, the initiative addresses both capacity-building and affordability barriers.
Robotic-assisted surgery offers precision, smaller incisions, reduced recovery times, and potentially lower complication rates for complex procedures. Developing local expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence applications in healthcare, automation, and biomedical engineering positions Nigeria to expand access to these technologies nationwide and retain skilled professionals.
For Nigerian doctors, medical students, nurses, engineers, and administrators interested in the future of surgery, this development opens a fully funded pathway to internationally recognised expertise right at home. As the first cohort prepares to enrol, the initiative marks a concrete step toward a more self-reliant, technologically advanced healthcare system in Nigeria.
