Medicine and surgery is undeniably the best course to study in Nigeria because of the high prestige and honor given to the graduates of the course and also due to its strict admission requirements and slots compared to other courses, be they medical courses or other courses.
Medicine and Surgery is a course that studies how to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease using drugs, therapy, and lifestyle while also studying treating diseases, injuries, and conditions by operating on the body.
List of Accredited Polytechnics in Nigeria (2026 Updated) | Federal, State & Private Polytechnics
Why accreditation matters when choosing a medical school
Having known what medicine and surgery is through your research because you are eager and bent on becoming a doctor because of long-term desire, there is one thing students who want to study medicine and surgery do overlook, and that is the accreditation status of the university that they intend to study medicine and surgery or the university that offers them admission to study medicine and surgery.
If a university is not accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for medicine and surgery courses, then it is a waste of time regardless of the fees you paid, and also it will also result in wasted years.
Accreditation of medicine and surgery courses in Nigeria is heavily regulated by the National Universities Commission (NUC), a governmental body in charge of accrediting courses in Nigerian universities, but the focus and also the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, which is the professional body in charge of accrediting medicine and surgery courses in Nigeria.
In the aspect of medicine and surgery, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) accreditation is superior compared to NUC accreditation, but both are necessary and mandatory for every university that offers medicine and surgery in Nigeria.
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) not only accredits universities for medicine and surgery courses, but they are also in charge of the professional examination, and they also award certificates certifying a student who meets the necessary requirements as a doctor, and that is why their accreditation is very essential in every university that offers medicine and surgery in Nigeria.
A university not accredited by MDCN will not only waste students’ time and resources, but also students in such a university won’t be permitted to sit for professional examinations and also be granted certificates.
The above information is not to create fear but to bring clarity as to why you should study medicine and surgery. Any university that you want to study medicine and surgery must be accredited by MDCN, and that is why we will show you the full list of accredited universities that offer medicine and surgery in Nigeria and their accreditation status.
Accreditation Status and What It Means
Even while accredited by MDCN, the accreditation status can also differ; there are two types of accreditation regarding MDCN Accreditation of Medicine and Surgery in Nigerian universities, and it is full and partial accreditation.
Full accreditation means that such a university is not under review by MDCN, having met all the required standards needed for an effective medical school, and so they are granted a full license to offer medicine and surgery in such an institution, though they are still subjected to interval accreditation to make sure whether they still deserve the license while
Partial accreditation status means the university has met some of the required standards needed for effective medical school but not all, and so they can’t be granted a full license to operate, and this means the university will be under constant surveillance, and even that partial license can be withdrawn if they see that the gap that has to be fixed to be granted a full license is not addressed.
Both full and partial accreditation status are good; it shows that such a university can offer medicine and surgery, and their students can sit for professional examinations, but it is very advisable that you should go for a university that has the full accreditation status, as they offer a stable peace of mind that their license won’t be withdrawn all of a sudden.
List of Accredited Universities That Offer Medicine and Surgery in Nigeria
| S/N | University | State | Ownership | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abia State University, Uturu | Abia | State | Full |
| 2 | Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University | Bauchi | Federal | Full |
| 3 | Achievers University | Ondo | Private | Partial |
| 4 | Afe Babalola University | Ekiti | Private | Full |
| 5 | Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria | Kaduna | Federal | Full |
| 6 | Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike | Ebonyi | Federal | Full |
| 7 | Ambrose Alli University | Edo | State | Full |
| 8 | Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo | Ogun | Private | Full |
| 9 | Bayelsa Medical University | Bayelsa | State | Partial |
| 10 | Bayero University Kano | Kano | Federal | Full |
| 11 | Baze University | FCT | Private | Partial |
| 12 | Benson Idahosa University | Edo | Private | Partial |
| 13 | Benue State University, Makurdi | Benue | State | Full |
| 14 | Bingham University, Karu | Nasarawa | Private | Full |
| 15 | Bowen University | Osun | Private | Full |
| 16 | Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University | Anambra | State | Full |
| 17 | David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu | Ebonyi | Federal | Partial |
| 18 | Delta State University | Delta | State | Full |
| 19 | Ebonyi State University | Ebonyi | State | Full |
| 20 | Edo State University | Edo | State | Full |
| 21 | Ekiti State University | Ekiti | State | Full |
| 22 | Enugu State University of Medical and Health Sciences | Enugu | State | Full |
| 23 | Enugu State University of Science and Technology | Enugu | State | Full |
| 24 | Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare | Bauchi | Federal | Partial |
| 25 | Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun | Osun | Federal | Partial |
| 26 | Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo | Benue | Federal | Partial |
| 27 | Federal University of Technology, Akure | Ondo | Federal | Partial |
| 28 | Federal University of Technology, Owerri | Imo | Federal | Partial |
| 29 | Federal University, Birnin Kebbi | Kebbi | Federal | Partial |
| 30 | Federal University, Dutse | Jigawa | Federal | Partial |
| 31 | Federal University, Lafia | Nasarawa | Federal | Partial |
| 32 | Federal University, Lokoja | Kogi | Federal | Partial |
| 33 | Federal University, Wukari | Taraba | Federal | Partial |
| 34 | Godfrey Okoye University | Enugu | Private | Partial |
| 35 | Gombe State University | Gombe | State | Full |
| 36 | Gregory University, Uturu | Abia | Private | Full |
| 37 | Igbinedion University, Okada | Edo | Private | Full |
| 38 | Imo State University | Imo | State | Full |
| 39 | Kaduna State University | Kaduna | State | Full |
| 40 | Kogi State University | Kogi | State | Partial |
| 41 | Ladoke Akintola University of Technology | Oyo | State | Full |
| 42 | Lagos State University | Lagos | State | Full |
| 43 | Lead City University | Oyo | Private | Partial |
| 44 | Madonna University | Rivers | Private | Full |
| 45 | Mercy Medical University | Osun | State | Partial |
| 46 | Niger Delta University | Bayelsa | State | Full |
| 47 | Nile University | FCT | Private | Full |
| 48 | Nnamdi Azikiwe University | Anambra | Federal | Full |
| 49 | Novena University | Delta | Private | Partial |
| 50 | Obafemi Awolowo University | Osun | Federal | Full |
| 51 | Olabisi Onabanjo University | Ogun | State | Full |
| 52 | Osun State University | Osun | State | Full |
| 53 | PAMO University of Medical Sciences | Rivers | Private | Full |
| 54 | Rhema University | Abia | Private | Full |
| 55 | Rivers State University | Rivers | State | Full |
| 56 | State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, Igbo-Eno | Enugu | State | Partial |
| 57 | University of Abuja | FCT | Federal | Full |
| 58 | University of Benin | Edo | Federal | Full |
| 59 | University of Calabar | Cross River | Federal | Full |
| 60 | University of Ibadan | Oyo | Federal | Full |
| 61 | University of Ilorin | Kwara | Federal | Full |
| 62 | University of Jos | Plateau | Federal | Full |
| 63 | University of Lagos | Lagos | Federal | Full |
| 64 | University of Maiduguri | Borno | Federal | Full |
| 65 | University of Medical Sciences, Ondo | Ondo | State | Full |
| 66 | University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus | Enugu | Federal | Full |
| 67 | University of Port Harcourt | Rivers | Federal | Full |
| 68 | University of Uyo | Akwa Ibom | Federal | Full |
| 69 | University on the Niger | Anambra | Private | Partial |
| 70 | Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto | Sokoto | Federal | Full |
| 71 | Veritas University | FCT | Private | Partial |
| 72 | Yobe State University | Yobe | State | Partial |
| 73 | Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano | Kano | State | Partial |
Ahh, I get you now 😂. You mean the lists underneath the main table — the sections from the outline, not another 73-school table.
Here they are properly filled in:
Fully Accredited Universities for Medicine and Surgery in Nigeria
Federal Universities
- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
- Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike
- Bayero University Kano
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- University of Abuja
- University of Benin
- University of Calabar
- University of Ibadan
- University of Ilorin
- University of Jos
- University of Lagos
- University of Maiduguri
- University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus
- University of Port Harcourt
- University of Uyo
- Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
State Universities
- Abia State University, Uturu
- Ambrose Alli University
- Benue State University, Makurdi
- Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University
- Delta State University
- Ebonyi State University
- Edo State University
- Ekiti State University
- Enugu State University of Medical and Health Sciences
- Enugu State University of Science and Technology
- Gombe State University
- Imo State University
- Kaduna State University
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
- Lagos State University
- Niger Delta University
- Olabisi Onabanjo University
- Osun State University
- Rivers State University
- University of Medical Sciences, Ondo
Private Universities
- Afe Babalola University
- Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo
- Bingham University, Karu
- Bowen University
- Gregory University, Uturu
- Igbinedion University, Okada
- Madonna University
- Nile University
- PAMO University of Medical Sciences
- Rhema University
Universities With Partially Accredited Medicine and Surgery Programmes
- Achievers University
- Bayelsa Medical University
- Baze University
- Benson Idahosa University
- David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu
- Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare
- Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun
- Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo
- Federal University of Technology, Akure
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri
- Federal University, Birnin Kebbi
- Federal University, Dutse
- Federal University, Lafia
- Federal University, Lokoja
- Federal University, Wukari
- Godfrey Okoye University
- Kogi State University
- Lead City University
- Mercy Medical University
- Novena University
- State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, Igbo-Eno
- University on the Niger
- Veritas University
- Yobe State University
- Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano
Best Accredited Universities to Study Medicine and Surgery in Nigeria
Best Federal Universities
- University of Ibadan
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- University of Lagos
- Ahmadu Bello University
- University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus
- University of Ilorin
- University of Benin
- University of Port Harcourt
Best State Universities
- Lagos State University
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
- University of Medical Sciences, Ondo
- Delta State University
- Ambrose Alli University
- Ebonyi State University
- Abia State University
Best Private Universities
- Afe Babalola University
- Babcock University
- Bowen University
- Bingham University
- Igbinedion University
- PAMO University of Medical Sciences
- Madonna University
- Nile University
Frequently Asked Questions
° Which universities are accredited to study medicine and surgery in Nigeria?
Universities in Nigeria that are accredited by MDCN are the ones that have fulfilled the required standard and obligation and have in-place facilities and equipment to offer the courses as deemed fit by NUC and MDCN.
° How many accredited medical schools are there in Nigeria?
There are about 73 universities in Nigeria that are accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), and the universities are spread across the federal, state, and private sectors as of 2026.
° Is Medicine and Surgery accredited in all Nigerian universities offering it?
Yes, once you are accredited by MDCN and NUC, there is nothing stopping the universities from offering it.
° Can I study medicine in a partially accredited university?
Yes, you can study medicine and surgery in a partially accredited university without fear, but make sure that you continue to check if they still have accreditation since they have not been given a full license, and it is advisable to study medicine and surgery at a university that has full accreditation
Olamilekan Stephen is a graduate of Economics, an education enthusiast, and a passionate advocate for promoting quality education in Nigeria. He is well-grounded in the field of education and has founded several education websites that have helped students at every stage of their academic journey. Through his work, he is committed to providing accurate, reliable, and up-to-date educational information to support students in achieving academic success.