Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) has secured approval from the National Universities Comission (NUC) to commence a full-time Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The programme will be offered at the university’s Main Campus in Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The approval was conveyed in a letter dated September 3, 2026, following a resource verification exercise conducted by an expert panel appointed by the NUC. The development adds Medicine and Surgery to AKSU’s expanding portfolio of programmes in the health sciences and comes less than a year after the university secured approval for seven other health-related degree programmes.

According to the university, the verification exercise assessed its human and material resources, including academic manpower, teaching facilities, laboratories, equipment and other infrastructure required for the proposed programme. AKSU said the satisfactory outcome paved the way for the NUC approval.

The university’s Registrar, Dr Ebi G. Eno-Ibanga, FNIM, conveyed the development in an official statement. Management expressed appreciation to the Akwa Ibom State Government and other stakeholders whose support contributed to the establishment of the programme.

What the MBBS approval means for prospective students

The NUC approval means AKSU can commence the approved full-time MBBS programme from the 2026/2027 academic session. It is, however, important for prospective students to distinguish programme approval from the opening of an application portal.

As of September 7, 2026, the university’s public announcements reviewed for this report do not provide a separate MBBS admission notice stating the programme’s specific UTME cut-off, required UTME subject combination, O’Level requirements, screening fee, application deadline or number of available places.

Prospective applicants should therefore avoid paying individuals or unofficial agents claiming to be selling an AKSU MBBS form. AKSU has previously warned applicants that it does not have individual admission sales agents and advised candidates to rely on its official website and admission channels.

The university’s official electronic portal provides an undergraduate application channel, but candidates should confirm that MBBS has been formally added to the list of programmes available for the 2026/2027 admission exercise before making any payment.

The distinction is particularly important because medical education is subject to professional regulation beyond general university programme approval. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) maintains standards for undergraduate medical education and operates a separate process for medical-school accreditation.

AKSU MBBS admission: what applicants should do

Until AKSU publishes its MBBS-specific admission guidelines, prospective candidates should follow these steps:

1. Monitor the official AKSU website for the MBBS admission announcement.

2. Check the undergraduate admission portal and confirm that Medicine and Surgery appears as an available programme.

3. Confirm the required UTME score published by AKSU for MBBS rather than relying on a general university benchmark.

4. Confirm the UTME subject combination and O’Level requirements before applying.

5. Ensure AKSU is the candidate’s approved JAMB choice, where this is required by the university’s admission notice.

6. Complete the Post-UTME or screening registration only through the official AKSU portal.

7. Keep the payment receipt and registration confirmation slip after completing the application.

8. Monitor JAMB CAPS and AKSU admission channels for subsequent admission updates.

JAMB’s 2026 policy meeting approved 150 as the minimum tolerable score for university admissions, but the Board has repeatedly clarified that institutions can adopt higher programme-specific thresholds. Therefore, the national benchmark should not be presented as AKSU’s MBBS cut-off.

What AKSU has already approved in the health sciences

The MBBS approval follows AKSU’s expansion into medical and health-related education.

In December 2025, the NUC approved seven full-time degree programmes in the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences. They are Nursing Science, Public Health, Community Health Science, Health Information Management, Science Laboratory Technology, Medical Laboratory Science and Environmental Health Science.

For that earlier admission exercise, AKSU set a minimum UTME score of 290 for Nursing Science and 265 for the other listed health programmes. Those figures applied to the 2025/2026 exercise and should not be treated as the MBBS requirement for 2026/2027 unless the university subsequently publishes them for Medicine and Surgery.

The university also received NUC approval in February 2026 for another set of programmes, including Doctor of Pharmacy, Architecture, Building, Quantity Surveying, Surveying and Geoinformatics, Project Management, Urban and Regional Planning, Estate Management, Local Government and Development Studies, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Fine and Applied Arts, Music, Guidance and Counselling, Computer Engineering, Automotive Engineering and Telecommunications Engineering.

A significant expansion of AKSU’s academic profile

The approval represents another major expansion of AKSU’s academic portfolio. The university has moved rapidly in the health sciences, with Nursing Science, Public Health, Community Health Science, Health Information Management, Science Laboratory Technology, Medical Laboratory Science and Environmental Health Science approved for commencement from the 2025/2026 academic session.

The addition of Medicine and Surgery places AKSU among the growing number of Nigerian universities expanding their training capacity in the medical field. It also raises the importance of sustained investment in medical lecturers, laboratories, clinical facilities, teaching hospitals and other resources required to train doctors to professional standards.

AKSU said it remains committed to providing the personnel, facilities and learning environment needed to sustain the MBBS programme in line with NUC requirements and the standards of relevant professional regulatory bodies.

For prospective students, the immediate priority is to rely on official admission information rather than rumours about cut-off marks, fees or registration deadlines. The safest point of reference remains AKSU’s official website, its undergraduate admission portal, JAMB and the relevant professional regulatory authorities.

Frequently asked questions about AKSU MBBS

Has AKSU been approved to offer Medicine and Surgery?

Yes. The university said the NUC approved the full-time MBBS programme in a letter dated September 3, 2026.

When will AKSU Medicine and Surgery begin?

The programme is approved to commence from the 2026/2027 academic session.

Where will AKSU Medicine and Surgery be offered?

The programme will be offered at AKSU’s Main Campus, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

Has AKSU released the MBBS cut-off mark?

No specific MBBS cut-off was found in the official material reviewed for this report. Candidates should wait for the university’s programme-specific admission notice.

Can candidates use the 150 JAMB national benchmark to apply for Medicine at AKSU?

Not necessarily. JAMB’s 150 score is the national minimum tolerable benchmark for universities in 2026, but universities and individual programmes may set higher requirements.

Is the AKSU MBBS admission form currently available?

The NUC approval has been announced, but a separate official AKSU notice detailing MBBS application procedures was not found in the sources reviewed. Candidates should not rely on third-party advertisements until AKSU formally publishes the application details.

Does NUC approval automatically mean the medical school is fully accredited by MDCN?

Not necessarily. NUC programme approval and professional medical-school accreditation are distinct regulatory processes. MDCN has its own standards and accreditation procedures for medical education.

Where should applicants register?

Candidates should use AKSU’s official admission channels and avoid unofficial agents. The university’s electronic portal provides access to undergraduate application services.

What should candidates do if they did not originally choose AKSU?

Candidates should wait for the specific 2026/2027 MBBS admission notice to determine whether a change of institution is required and the deadline for doing so. AKSU has required first-choice status for some of its previous programme-specific admission exercises.

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