The Senate has passed the bill establishing the Federal University of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos, marking a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria's healthcare system, enhancing disease diagnosis, and reducing the country's dependence on medical treatment abroad.
The bill, which was transmitted from the House of Representatives, secured Senate concurrence during Tuesday's plenary after lawmakers unanimously approved it while sitting as the Committee of the Whole under the leadership of Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
According to the proposed legislation, the new institution will serve as a specialised university dedicated to training medical laboratory scientists, advancing biomedical research and innovation, and producing skilled professionals to improve disease diagnosis and bolster Nigeria's health security.
Presenting the bill, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele urged his colleagues to support the measure alongside two other key bills, describing them as critical interventions for Nigeria's health and education sectors.
The Senate subsequently passed the **Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Federal University of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos (Establishment) Bill, 2026, and the Federal Universities of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Lawmakers also passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Federal Medical Centres Act to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Argungu, Kebbi State.
The House of Representatives had earlier approved the university bill, noting that the specialised institution would improve access to quality healthcare by strengthening local diagnostic services and helping curb the growing trend of Nigerians travelling overseas for medical treatment due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
Reacting to the Senate's approval, the Provost and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos, Prof. Sunday Etukudoh, described the development as a historic milestone for Nigeria's healthcare sector.
"COVID-19 stripped us bare and whispered a truth we must never forget: A nation that cannot diagnose cannot defend itself," he said.
Etukudoh described the passage of the bill as a transformative moment for the country's health sector.
"This is not bureaucracy. It is prophecy. Today, Nigeria has taken a bold step toward strengthening its health security, scientific independence and the future of medical laboratory education," he stated.
He appealed to the Federal Government to fast-track the take-off of the university, stressing that the institution is vital to the nation's healthcare future.
"I call on the Federal Government to prioritise this university. Nigeria's health security hangs on it. Nigeria's youth's destiny hangs on it. Nigeria's scientific independence hangs on it," he said.
Highlighting the institution's readiness for the upgrade, Etukudoh disclosed that its permanent site already features modern infrastructure, including an ultra-modern auditorium, two-storey administrative and academic buildings, an electronic library, and state-of-the-art diagnostic and research laboratories.
However, he lamented the lack of student accommodation despite the institution's decades-long existence.
"We have built the classrooms of a university. We have raised the laboratories of a university. What remains is to build the home of a university. A university without hostels is a body without a heart," he said.
The provost also encouraged students to embrace artificial intelligence, noting that emerging technologies will redefine medical diagnostics and healthcare delivery worldwide.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin commended senators for their cooperation during the consideration of the bills, describing the exercise as another demonstration of the Senate's commitment to national development.
The Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos, traces its roots to a medical laboratory training unit established in 1954 under Nigeria's Hospital Services before becoming a full-fledged federal college in 2006. Over the years, it has produced thousands of medical laboratory scientists serving across the country's healthcare system.
The planned upgrade to a specialised federal university aligns with the Federal Government's ongoing efforts to strengthen health workforce development, biomedical research and disease surveillance in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts have consistently identified weak diagnostic infrastructure and shortages of specialised personnel as major contributors to Nigeria's thriving medical tourism industry.
Nigeria is estimated to lose billions of dollars annually to outbound medical tourism as many citizens seek specialised treatment, advanced diagnostic services and complex medical procedures abroad. Stakeholders believe the establishment of the Federal University of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos, will build indigenous expertise, promote cutting-edge research and innovation, improve disease diagnosis, and ultimately reduce the country's reliance on foreign healthcare services.
