The Senate has passed two major legislative bills through second reading, paving the way for the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to award Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in clinical disciplines, while reinforcing the operational autonomy of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Both amendment bills were sponsored by Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), and considered during plenary presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The proposed amendment to the National Postgraduate Medical College Act expands the institution’s scope beyond conducting professional fellowship examinations to offering academic doctoral degrees in clinical medicine, dentistry, and related fields.
Under the new provision, the College’s Senate will be empowered to develop and oversee Ph.D. curricula operating under the accreditation guidelines of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
In addition to conducting professional postgraduate examinations, the College will be empowered to establish academic programmes and award Ph.D.s in clinical medicine, dentistry and related disciplines. This proposed expansion represents an important step towards strengthening the relationship between specialist medical training, clinical research and advanced academic development.
Senator Bamidele Opeyemi Michael.
The second bill amends the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Act to bolster the agency’s institutional independence, technical capacity, and administrative flexibility across air, rail, marine, and road transport sector investigations.
Senator Bamidele highlighted that strengthening the bureau’s mandate will improve the credibility of accident investigations, ensuring that findings translate into actionable, nationwide preventive measures.
Following plenary debates, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bills to their respective standing committees for further legislative action and public hearings:
Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund: Assigned to review the National Postgraduate Medical College Amendment Bill.
Senate Committee on Aviation: Directed to lead stakeholder engagements on the NSIB Amendment Bill.
Both committees are expected to submit their reports back to plenary for third reading and final passage.
