Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has formally graduated 23 Somali medical interns, the first group to complete training in Nigeria through a bilateral agreement with SIMAD University in Mogadishu.
The announcement was made on Monday by ABU’s Public Affairs Director, Malam Auwalu Umar, who hailed the achievement as a landmark for African higher education partnerships.
The graduation ceremony, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Adamu Ahmed, was attended by Somalia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Jamal Barrow. The envoy commended the initiative, describing it as a “moment of pride for Somalia, Nigeria and Africa as a whole.” He said the collaboration not only sharpened medical skills but also fostered cultural exchange and lasting friendships.
The training scheme began in October 2024 after the two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding earlier that year. It provided Somali graduates with the opportunity to complete their compulsory internship under ABU’s College of Medical Sciences.
Professor Ahmed pledged continued collaboration with African partners, noting that ABU would monitor the professional development of the Somali interns as they returned home. “They will always remain part of the ABU family,” he said.
Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, Professor Sanin Shehu, confirmed that all 23 interns successfully completed the required training and examinations. The Director of Advancement and International Education, Professor Sani Aliyu, added that the project illustrated the power of universities in building continental unity.
SIMAD University’s Rector, Abdikarim Ahmed, expressed gratitude to ABU for delivering the training and acknowledged the ambassador’s support throughout the programme.
The graduation marks the first time Somali medical graduates have fulfilled their internship obligations outside Somalia, establishing a precedent for deeper cooperation among African universities.
