Kwankwaso to establish Northern Nigeria’s first private medical university in Kano

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State and the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), has announced plans to establish the first private medical university in Northern Nigeria, located in his home state, Kano.

Kwankwaso made the disclosure while inspecting ongoing construction at the medical institution named after his late mother, Nafisatu, in Kwankwaso village, Madobi Local Government Area of Kano. The visit was part of activities marking his 69th birthday celebration on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, he described the initiative as a milestone in his lifelong commitment towards service to Nigeria, and advancing the well-being of ordinary citizens.

He said since his journey into Nigerian politics, his focus has been to expand access to quality education, and healthcare, particularly, for young women, and youths that represented the highest percentage of Nigerian citizens.

Kwankwaso explained that the idea of establishing a medical institution to meet the educational needs of the people of the state was first conceived in 2019. This vision led to the creation of Nafisatu College of Nursing and Midwifery, located on the same site he now plans to upgrade into a university.

He said that the College of Nursing, has since its establishment graduated over 400 students, while, another 400 students are currently undergoing various courses in the field of nursing, community healthcare, and other courses in public health.

“We are proud that this institution remains the first privately owned college of nursing and midwifery in the country, where all students are female. The results are excellent, giving us the confidence to take the next step — establishing a medical university.

“I wish to thank the Kano State Government for supporting the training of community midwives through the college, noting that the planned upgrade would further boost the health workforce and reduce the shortage of qualified medical personnel.

“I appeal to all stakeholders to support us in this noble effort. Our success will not only benefit this community or Kano State but will have a national and international impact”, Kwankwaso stated.

Read also: Kano, Katsina, Jigawa to float N50bn Electrification Fund

In his remarks, Saleh Ngaski Garba, chairman of the College’s Governing Council, commended Kwankwaso for his vision and humanitarian spirit, noting that the college has produced 416 nurses and midwives since its inception.

Saleh, a professor, said that the establishment of this medical university will provide more opportunities for youths, especially from less privileged backgrounds, to acquire advanced training in nursing and other health disciplines.