The National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Ijanikin Lagos, will today graduate 405 fellows, 34 doctors of medicine, and 37 diplomates in Family Medicine.

The college will also honour four distinguished fellows, and four postgraduate diploma awardees in Anaesthesia and Public Health.
The President of the College, Dr Peter N, Ebeigbe, stated this yesterday, at a media briefing on the 43rd convocation ceremony of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), in Lagos.

The convocation is to confer fellowships and awards on a new generation of specialist doctors, and also honour distinguished fellows of the college.
Speaking at the event, Ebeigbe reaffirmed the college’s commitment to promoting excellence in postgraduate medical education, training, and research, for the advancement of health care in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

He said an analysis of the yearly output of fellowship awards by the college in the last decade shows that the peak output was in 2019 and 2020, when the output of fellows was 450 and 459, respectively. “This followed a steady rise from 343 and 340 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. After the peak, there was a fall to a nadir of 310 in 2021, and it was 407 and 338 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. From the data available, while it is difficult to conclude that the steady drop caused by the “Japa syndrome” has stopped, it appears that some stability in numbers may be setting in. This is most likely the result of multiple interventions implemented by the college and faculties to encourage the intake of trainees into our college without lowering standards.”

The president stated that despite the current economic challenges and brain drain, the college remains focused on achieving its objectives and is committed to innovation, policy advocacy, and institutional partnerships that will strengthen postgraduate medical education in Nigeria.

He assured that the college has continually reviewed her curricula to align with evolving healthcare needs and global trends, including telemedicine, genomics, and artificial intelligence in clinical care.

Ebeigbe noted that the graduands this year are a testament to the resilience and brilliance of Nigerian doctors, even in the face of adversity. “As we hold our convocation ceremony, we celebrate not just certificates and titles, but the promise of improved healthcare for our people. We call on all stakeholders, government, private sector, international partners, and the media—to continue to support the College in fulfilling its mandate,” he said.

Speaking on the college’s recent achievements, Ebeigbe said over the past few years, NPMCN has expanded the range of postgraduate specialist and subspecialist training opportunities it offers.

According to him, the Faculty of Radiology has introduced training programmes in Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, while the Faculty of Internal Medicine has added Interventional Cardiology. Also, the Faculty of Anaesthesia has broadened its training to include subspecialties in Pain Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, as well as Transplantation Medicine, which involves multiple faculties.

The president added that the college has accredited additional training centres across the country, increasing access to postgraduate medical education and bringing specialist training closer to underserved regions.

Ebeigbe also pointed out that the college has embarked on numerous collaborations and partnerships with sister medical colleges and institutions in the United Kingdom, United States of America, and within the African sub-region, all aimed at enhancing capacity building for trainers and trainees, as well as training and examination.