In this article, we have compiled a list of private medical universities in Nigeria that offer medicine as a course.
Before we go any further, there are a few things you should know about studying medicine at a university.
Typically, the College or Faculty of Medicine offers the Medicine and Surgery program. It consists of courses that students must pass in order to obtain the coveted MBBS degree.
The curriculum is organized into three levels and spans six academic years. The first step is pre-medical, which is fundamentally natural and based on pure science.
The pre-clinical level, in which basic medical science courses are taught, is the following step.
The clinical-stage, in which the courses focus on the nature of disorders with systematic medical recommendations, is the final level.
Let dive into the best private medical schools in Nigeria.
Also Read: Top 25 Universities To Study Medicine And Surgery In Nigeria
7 Best Private Medical Schools/Universities in Nigeria 2022
1. Afe Babalola University
When it comes to private medical colleges in Nigeria, Afe-Babalola University is the first name that springs to mind. It is also one of biggest private university in Nigeria.
This prestigious institution is located in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Some of the unique aspects that distinguish it as one of the finest for medical students in Nigeria are its e-learning platform, modern facilities, and conducive learning environment.
The vision of the Afe Babalola College of Medicine and Health Sciences is to produce doctors that are able to function effectively as general practitioners (able to deal with common health conditions that are presented in general health care settings), empowered to appreciate and utilize opportunities for self-learning and professional development, sufficiently prepared and motivated for the possibility of specialist and academic postgraduate training.
Consequently, their actions got the National University Commission surprised and, at the same time, impressed that it expressed the School as an epitome of success for other universities to emulate.
Asides that, when it comes to training medical students for their career, they’re the best. You’re sure to get a sound education in medical School thanks to the conducive environment, great lecturers, and the use of modern facilities.
You get to enjoy the quality and updated books, materials, research aids from the School’s library. There are also two e-library rooms sporting 150 seats for enhanced learning using ICT.
What about their teaching hospital? You’ll be appalled by how superb the environment is, and not just that; they’re updated with the latest technology for healthcare. What else could you be looking for
Colleges
The following medical courses are accessible in the Afe-Babalola’s University
- Human Anatomy
- Medical Biochemistry
- Human Physiology
- Medicine and Surgery
- Nursing science
- Medical laboratory science
School fees: 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 million naira per annum.
2. Babcock University
Another school that falls under the best private university in Nigeria for medicine and surgery is the Babcock University located in Ilisha-Remo, between Ibadan and Lagos.
The Babcock University was founded in 1959 by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Their medical college, also known as Ben Carson Medical school, is top-notch.
The college is fully stocked, has a conducive environment for learning, and has an excellent curriculum for medical courses.
The goal is to train top-notch medical students within the scope of Christian Values and beliefs that will foster the upbringing of Christian Physicians caring for the whole man.
In 2019, the Orthopaedic Department recorded the very first successful spinal surgery in Nigeria. Asides that, they’ve also performed over 300 successful open-heart surgeries in Nigeria. What a feat!
In recent research, Babcock University saves Nigeria 100 billion Naira annually that it loses to medical tourism. This is obviously because of how well developed the hospital is.
In all, Babcock is one of the best private universities in Nigeria. If you decide to take your medical school education to standard levels, it’s your sure bet. By selecting this School, how will you go wrong?
Colleges
The medical courses at Babcock University include:
- Medicine and Surgery
- Human Anatomy
- Medical Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Nursing
School fees: 4,000,000 Naira annually
Also Read: 20 Tuition Free Medical Colleges In UK
3. Bingham University
Bingham University is your best bet if you’re searching for the cheapest private universities in Nigeria that offer Medicine and Surgery.
Like the Babcock, the Bingham University is of a Christian Background. The Northern Univerity was founded by the Evangelical Church Winning All(ECWA).
What’s unique about this institution is that it’s the only one in the North established by a Christian Organization. Asides that, its medical School has superb facilities for the training of medical students in Nigeria
Bingham University has a teaching hospital formerly called Evangel hospital. It’s also of good quality with a good number of standard facilities.
Their goal is to meet up with the massive demand for quality education in Northern Nigeria. They also aim to raise students who will uphold the Christian faith in everything they do.
Courses
The departments in their college of Medicine include:
- Medical Biochemistry
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Medicine and Surgery
- Nursing
- Physiology
4. Igbinedion University, Okada
The Ighinedion University in Okada city, Edo state, is another private medical school to further your education in Nigeria.
Igbinedion University was founded in 1999, and since then, the School has proven to be highly capable of training distinguished medical doctors and practitioners.
Another exciting fact is that the Igbinedion University Medical school accreditation is the first in Nigeria.
Furthermore, Igbinedion University is the first private University in Nigeria, and its goals are to develop and empower the academic prowess of Nigerian Students.
Asides that, this standard University at Edo state is the first private University to nurture medical doctors in Sub-Saharan Africa. It’s also the first private university to bag first class at a Nigerian Law School. Why won’t you love this School?
Departments
Their college of Medicine is known as Oba Okunade Sijuade College it Medical and Health Allied Courses. They offer the following courses to study:
- Human Anatomy
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Medicine and Surgery
- Nursing Science
School fees: 1,000,000 Naira for the first year, and 3,000,000 Naira for other years to final year.
See Also: 20 Best Medical Schools in USA
5. Bowen University
Also founded by a Christian body is Bowen University. The Nigerian Baptist Convention founded the School on the 17th of July, 2001, making it one of Nigeria’s oldest private medical schools.
Since then, the School has continued to wax strong, producing excellent graduates doing exploits worldwide.
They got NUC accreditation For Medical Courses in 2009. And since it’s accreditation, they’ve not failed to raise good doctors and health practitioners all over Nigeria.
The Bowen University also has a Sparkling teaching hospital to its name based at Ogbomosho in Oyo state. As expected, the School is fully equipped with the necessary modern facilities to provide quality healthcare services in Nigeria.
Asides that, Bowen University also has a postgraduate school training medical doctors in the department of family medicine.
Courses
The following are medical courses you can study at Bowen University:
- Medicine and Surgery
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
School fees: 2,000,000 Naira per annum.
6. Gregory University
Abia state the God’s Own State, presents a standard learning hub, the Gregory university. This University got established in 2011. And although it kicked off not too long, the School has shown good traits by nurturing competent medical practitioners.
A fantastic thing about this institution is that their calendar is thorough, fast, and focused. They’re like the Unillorin of Private Universities. They use a well-structured curriculum that enables the conduct of academic activities under 18 weeks span.
What you get to enjoy in this School is a conducive environment, top-notch facilities, and great lecturers who are always available to guide you through your medical school training.
Courses
They offer the following courses:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Medicine and Surgery
- Optometry
- Physiology
- Radiography
School fees: 1,500,000 Naira per Annum.
You might like to check out 15 Tuition Free Medical Colleges In Canada
7. Madonna University
Last but not least on this list is Madonna University. When searching for a prominent private medical school in Nigeria, Madonna University is a great choice.
The School is located in Efele in Rivers state and got established in 1999. Madonna University also has a Christian foundation as a Catholic Church founded it. Asides that, it’s also the first Catholic University in West Africa.
Courses
Medical Courses offered in the Madonna University include:
- Biochemistry
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Medicine and Surgery
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Optometry
School fees: 2,000,000 Naira per Annum
Also Read: Top 10 Most Affordable Online degrees in the UK in 2022 [Cheapest Online master degree]
Why Private Medical Schools are Better than Public Ones
Why would you prefer private institutions.? How are they better than public ones? Let’s find out!
1. Higher Interaction with Lecturers
Don’t let those folks in public schools fool you; Private schools offer the best services. You pay higher, yes, but you’ll get great value for your money.
In most public schools in Nigeria, the student-to-lecturer ratio is outrageous. If you sneak into some public universities, you might find out that it’s usually one lecturer to more than one thousand students.
But in private universities, this is never the case.
According to the research by Western Kentucky University, private schools enhance learning better than in public schools.
When you choose the best private medical schools in Nigeria, you’ll enjoy quality in-class learning like never before. There are more engagement and interaction. Come on, education should be fun and interactive, isn’t it?
Absence of Strike
If you’ve been observant about Universities in Nigeria, you know that they go on regular strikes. And these strike isn’t something unusual, it’s now a regular thing. It’s either ASUU Strike, or NASU, or that there’s some mismanagement of funds.
But in the best private medical schools in Nigeria, it’s not the case. Like, there’s no strike at all! Not even the slightest of them. You can be confident that if your course is 4-years, you’ll complete it at the exact time! Why won’t you love private schools?
3. Security
And yes, have we talked about security in private schools? Oh, you’ll be appalled by how tight the security is. There are so many measures to ensure that students are safe from anything that can bring harm.
Some of these measures include limiting students’ movement, using highly-trained security officers, and many more. With this, you can see that there’ll be less robbery, no cultism, and less of other bad societal vices.
But what about Public universities in Nigeria? Oh, it’s a different case. Although there’s security in most schools, it’s not as tight as that of private. Students do complain of theft of phones, items, and many more.
Check Out: 20 Tuition Free Medical Colleges In UK
Factors to Consider before Selecting the Best Private Medical Schools/University in Nigeria
1. Tuition
If you want to attend the best private medical schools in Nigeria, you should consider the cost and your budget first! Make thorough inquiries about the School you intend to attend. Check how much their fees are.
Asides from that, you should also check your budget. Are you willing to spend millions of Naira every year for your medical education? Do you have the financial capacity or support?
These are typical questions to ask yourself before picking any private school in your UTME form.
2. Desired Course
The Best Private Medical Schools in Nigeria can’t have all the Medical courses. For example, some offer Dentistry while others don’t. Some may offer Optometry while others don’t.
Whatever medical course you intend to study, do ensure that the private School offers that course. More importantly, check that they have the NUC accreditation for that course.
Fortunately, all the Private Schools in this list offer Medicine and Surgery. But not all of them offer some medical courses like Optometry, Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, etc.
3. Personality
Humans have a different makeup. Some individuals are quite outgoing, social, interactive, and like to flex, while others prefer being alone, and can stay constrained.
Whichever one you are, you need to ensure that the private medical School you chose doesn’t go against your personality type.
Some private schools restrict students’ movement. Some do give foods and hence dictate the feeding lifestyle of students.
So do ensure you carry out some research; find out what type of rules each School gives out. Ensure they don’t go against your beliefs, and what you want in your further education training.
Also Read: 20 Cheapest Medical Schools In Canada
How to Get into a Private Medical School in Nigeria
Fortunately, the competition in Private Universities is more accessible than public schools. Getting in is also easy. Here are steps to enter into a private medical school in Nigeria.
- Purchase JAMB Form.
- Fill in your desired Private Medical School
- Read your Books and Pass the UTME
- Be on Alert on when the School’s Post UTME form will emerge
- Apply for the Post UTME Test
- Pass your UTME test
- Wait for your Admission, and
- Congratulations, you’re in! Then proceed to
- Payment of School fees, and Clearance, and
- Begin your education!
Read: 20 Top Medical Schools in UK
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Best private university in Nigeria for medicine and surgery?
The best private university in Nigeria for medicine and surgery is currently Afe Babalola University in Ekiti state.
What is the cheapest private universities in Nigeria that offer medicine and surgery?
The cheapest university you can enroll in to study Medicine in Nigeria is Bingham University whose schools fees starts from 1 million Naira.
Which Private University offers Medicine in Nigeria?
Out of the numerous private universities in Nigeria, there are only 7 which offer Medicine. Here are they:
1. Afe Babalola University, Ekiti
2. Babcock University, Ilishan Remo
3. Bingham Univeristy, Benue
4. Igninedion University, Okada
5. Bowen University, Oyo
6. Gregory University, Abia
7. Madonna University, Elele
Check Out: 20 Best Medical Schools in USA
Final Thoughts
Getting into the Best private medical schools in Nigeria is awesome, especially if you want to enjoy quality education. We’ve given you a full guide containing the best schools, as well as factors to put into consideration.
We do hope this post will be helpful in selecting the medical school to begin your further education.
Do you have any comments? Kindly drop them through the comment section. Also don’t forget to share this piece with your loved ones. Cheers!