Thousands of 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates who chose the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) for Medicine and Surgery have been shut out of admission following the University's suspension of its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme for the 2026/2027 academic session.

The decision, confirmed through an official advisory, means no fresh intake will be admitted into the medical programme until the 2027/2028 admission cycle. The notice further clarified that only candidates who participate in the 2027 UTME will be eligible for MBBS admission at FUTA when the next exercise opens.

FUTA also warned candidates to disregard contrary information circulating online, stressing that 2026 UTME results will not be valid for MBBS admission at the Institution under any circumstances.

The suspension carries significant implications for prospective medical students who listed FUTA as their preferred Institution in the ongoing 2026 admission process. Affected candidates may now be required to either consider alternative Universities offering MBBS programmes or defer their admission plans to 2027.

Education stakeholders have linked the suspension to ongoing structural and academic adjustments within the University's College of Health Sciences, particularly following recent accreditation developments by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). Earlier reports had confirmed that FUTA secured MDCN accreditation for its MBBS programme with an approved admission quota of 100 students, a milestone that typically precedes careful scaling of student intake to meet regulatory standards.

Admission experts have advised affected candidates to explore other accredited universities, consider related health science courses at FUTA, or prepare strategically for the 2027 UTME if the Institution remains their preferred choice.

Parents and guardians have equally been urged to rely solely on official university channels for updates and to avoid falling victim to misinformation or fraudulent admission claims.

With competition for medical school slots already intense across Nigeria, the temporary suspension at FUTA is expected to increase pressure on available spaces in other universities offering the MBBS programme nationwide.