The National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) is set to graduate 537 medical and dental specialists at its 2026 convocation ceremony today, September 17, in Ijanikin, Lagos.

The graduating cohort includes candidates receiving Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees, Fellowships, and post-Fellowship Diplomas after completing six or more years of rigourous specialty training. Additionally, four senior Fellows will be conferred with the Distinguished Fellowship of the College for landmark contributions to medical practice, education, and administration.

Speaking during a media briefing and interactive session yesterday, in Lagos, President of the College, Prof. Anthony Ikefuna, reaffirmed the college’s commitment to producing specialised medical and dental consultants equipped to handle the country’s unique health challenges, even as severe economic pressures continue to fuel an exodus of healthcare professionals.

He emphasised the institutional effort required to train specialist healthcare professionals to strengthen the national workforce.

Addressing the ongoing migration of medical specialists, Prof. Ikefuna identified economic hardship as the primary factor pushing young doctors abroad. He noted that while interest in postgraduate specialisation remains high, personal survival and family obligations dictate where doctors choose to practice.

“Part of it is economic, mainly economic. If you are not well-to-do and cannot feed your family or cater to your dependents, you have to find a way to survive. Our doctors face the dual pressure of full-time specialist training and frontline healthcare delivery. We need to find realistic incentives and solutions to keep them,” he said.

He highlighted that Nigerian-trained specialists remain globally sought-after due to the high quality of their training. To counter professional frustration, the College is actively promoting mentorship programmes to reorient young residents toward the core values of the profession while working through broader systemic challenges.

Prof. Ikefuna clarified that the perceived increase in national cancer cases is largely driven by growing public health awareness and improved diagnostic consciousness rather than a sheer rise in incidence. To address the evolving epidemiological landscape, he said the College has established its 17th and newest unit, the Faculty of Radiation and Clinical Oncology, to provide dedicated, in-depth training in modern cancer management, including immunotherapy and targeted radiation therapies.

He said: “Our curricula align training with local and national developmental challenges. With state-of-the-art facilities now emerging across the country for organ transplants, advanced cancer care, and robotic surgery, our goal is to ensure our graduates possess the high-level expertise needed to operate these centres effectively without patients having to travel abroad.”

Established in 1979 by Decree No. 67 (now Cap N59 Laws of the Federation 2004), the Federal Government-backed tertiary institution serves as the apex body for postgraduate medical and dental education in Nigeria. Prof. Ikefuna noted that the convocation will strengthen alumni ties, celebrate trainee resilience, and reinforce the College’s mandate to maintain global standards in Nigerian healthcare.