The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has strongly criticised the continued exclusion of qualified medical professors from contesting for the post of Vice-Chancellor in some Nigerian universities.
In a statement jointly signed by its President, Professor Mohammad Aminu, and Secretary General, Professor Daiyabu Ibrahim, the association described the trend as a violation of university autonomy and an abuse of existing laws. The group pointed out that some universities, in recent advertisements for the position of Vice-Chancellor, stated a PhD as a mandatory qualification, which automatically disqualifies professors in the medical and dental fields, despite their academic status and leadership experience.
MDCAN stated that this practice contravenes the Nigerian Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, which recognises Colleges of Medicine as integral parts of universities. It argued that medical professors, many of whom have served as Deans, Provosts, and Heads of Departments, have made significant contributions to research, teaching, and university development.
“These individuals have led research, brought in major grants, and helped boost the academic image of Nigerian universities. Yet they are systematically sidelined when it comes to VC appointments, which is unfair and undermines merit-based governance”, the statement read.
The association condemned the recent exclusion of medical academics from VC selection processes at the University of Calabar and the University of Uyo, calling it discriminatory and “uniquely Nigerian.”
It added that such actions contradict the Federal Ministry of Education’s 2025 guidelines and the amended University Miscellaneous Provisions Act of 2003. “This form of exclusion robs our universities of competent leadership, especially when Nigeria is facing serious healthcare challenges and losing skilled professionals to brain Drain,” MDCAN warned.
The group called on university governing councils to revise VC advertisements and follow transparent, merit-based selection processes as mandated by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Ministry of Education. They also requested a formal investigation into institutions that enforce such exclusionary policies and urged sanctions for non-compliance.
MDCAN praised the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, for providing clear guidance on the matter in April 2025 and urged swift action to stop what they described as the marginalisation of medical professors. “Nigeria’s universities cannot afford to ignore some of their brightest and most experienced minds,” the association concluded.
