The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill for second reading seeking to empower the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to establish academic programmes and award Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in clinical medicine, dentistry and related disciplines.
The Senate also advanced proposed amendments to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Act aimed at strengthening the agency’s institutional independence, operational autonomy and capacity to investigate transportation accidents.
Both bills were considered during plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, with Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, sponsoring the proposals.
Leading the debate on the medical college bill, Bamidele explained that the proposed amendment would expand the institution’s mandate beyond conducting professional postgraduate examinations to include establishing academic programmes and awarding doctoral degrees.
He said the reform would strengthen the relationship between specialist medical training, clinical research and advanced academic development, while enhancing the country’s capacity for medical research and the production of specialised knowledge.
According to him, the amendment would provide a statutory framework for the college to contribute more directly to clinical scholarship and research capacity. It would also empower the institution’s Senate to develop and oversee doctoral programmes, subject to the accreditation and regulatory requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Bamidele added that the proposed changes could improve the integration of postgraduate medical education and research, creating further opportunities for specialist training and academic development within Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
On the proposed amendment to the NSIB Act, the Senate Leader said the changes were intended to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to investigate transportation accidents and incidents across relevant modes of transport.
He explained that improving the bureau’s institutional structure and operational arrangements would enhance the quality and credibility of safety investigations and help ensure that their findings translated into practical measures to prevent future accidents.
The proposed amendments also seek to remove certain ministerial approval and recommendation requirements relating to appointments and administrative processes within the bureau. According to Bamidele, these changes would give the agency greater operational flexibility in carrying out its statutory responsibilities.
The NSIB investigates transportation accidents and incidents to establish their causes and make recommendations aimed at preventing similar occurrences.
Following the debates, Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olalere Oyewunmi, seconded the proposed amendment to the NSIB Act, while Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, seconded the bill concerning the National Postgraduate Medical College.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently approved both bills for second reading.
Akpabio referred the National Postgraduate Medical College amendment bill to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for further legislative consideration. He also directed the Senate Committee on Aviation to scrutinise the proposed amendments to the NSIB Act.
The committees are expected to examine the respective bills as the legislative process continues.
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