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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Benson Idahosa University (BIU) has recorded a major milestone in its academic development with the granting of first clinical accreditation for its medicine programme by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The accreditation paved the way for the institution to conduct Part II and Part III Professional Examinations in Medicine and graduate its first set of medical doctors.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. John Aroye Okhuoya, announced the development yesterday during a press conference at the university in Benin City.
According to the Vice Chancellor, the accreditation followed a rigorous assessment by a 13-member MDCN team that visited the university on June 23 and 24.
The Council also approved an increase in the university’s admission quota for medicine from 50 to 100 students.
He described the approval as a significant vote of confidence in the university’s academic standards, infrastructure, governance, clinical training facilities and faculty strength.
He said the increased admission quota reflects the institution’s sustained investment in modern laboratories, teaching hospitals, clinical partnerships, state-of-the-art learning facilities and highly qualified academic staff, enabling it to train more medical students without compromising quality.
“This achievement represents far more than regulatory approval. It is a resounding vote of confidence in our faculty, infrastructure, clinical training facilities, governance and commitment to producing medical professionals who will compete favourably anywhere in the world,” he said.
He noted that the accreditation brings the university closer to realising the vision of its founder, Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa, who conceived the establishment of a world-class College of Medical Sciences decades before the university was founded.
In another significant development, Prof. Okhuoya announced that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved three new academic programmes for the university with effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.
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The newly approved programmes are Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Cyber Security, Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Software Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law.
He explained that the Cyber Security and Software Engineering programmes, which will be housed in the Faculty of Computing, are designed to equip students with cutting-edge digital and technological skills required to address emerging global challenges.
According to him, the Cyber Security programme would prepare graduates to protect critical information systems, secure digital infrastructure and strengthen cyber resilience across public and private sectors, while the Software Engineering programme would produce professionals capable of designing and developing innovative software solutions for industries in Nigeria and beyond.
The Vice Chancellor also said the newly approved PhD programme in Law would strengthen advanced legal research and scholarship by providing opportunities for academics, judges, policymakers and legal practitioners to undertake research that contributes to legal reforms, judicial development and the rule of law.
He expressed appreciation to the MDCN and the NUC for their professionalism and confidence in the institution.
Looking ahead, the Vice Chancellor said the university would continue to expand its clinical training capacity, strengthen research and innovation, deepen international collaborations, invest in modern infrastructure and attract world-class faculty members over the next two years.
He reaffirmed that the University remains committed to producing graduates who are professionally competent, ethically grounded and globally competitive.
“At Benson Idahosa University, we do not measure success by accreditation alone. We measure success by the quality of graduates we produce, the impact of our research, the strength of our values and the difference we make in society,” he said.
He called on prospective students, parents, industry partners and the international community to join the university as it continues to pursue academic excellence, innovation and godly leadership.
On the issue of TETFund, he appealed to the Federal Government to lift the ban preventing private universities from benefiting from the scheme, considering their immense contributions to the country’s economy.
He said the lifting would go a long way to deepen research and enhance the nation’s educational systems.
