An illegal nursing institution disguised as "Universal Public Health Science" has been shut down in Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, after authorities discovered it was operating academic programmes in substandard facilities without accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
The facility, which offered Community Health, Public Health, and Nursing programmes, used a three bedroom flat as its administrative block with lecture spaces that were essentially shops fitted with old wooden benches to accommodate students.
Dr Serifat Aminu, Chairman of the State Nursing and Midwifery Committee and Acting Director of Nursing Services at the Ministry of Health, led the enforcement team that sealed the institution following directives from the Honourable Commissioner for Health and the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr Ndagi Al Hassan.
The discovery came after a whistleblower sent an email alert to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, which was promptly relayed to state authorities within two hours. The Ministry's attention had also been drawn to the illegal institution through an online post on the Ogun State Government's official X handle.
Dr Aminu explained that the crackdown followed directives from the Honourable Commissioner for Health and the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr Ndagi Al Hassan, after the Ministry received intelligence about the facility's unauthorised operations.
Upon inspection, the proprietor, Mr Elugbadebo Damilola Peter, admitted to running the programmes but could not produce accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the sole statutory body responsible for regulating nursing education across the country. The Ministry of Health also had no record of approval for the institution.
Dr Aminu emphasised the dangers posed by such operations, warning that inadequate training conditions compromise both public health and student futures.
"You cannot train future healthcare professionals in substandard conditions and expect safe outcomes; beyond endangering public health, students risk wasting years and scarce resources on certificates that will not be recognised, ultimately worsening the burden of quackery in the State," Dr Aminu stated.
She revealed the facility was terribly inadequate for health education, emphasising the danger such institutions pose to both students and the healthcare system.
The closure follows similar enforcement actions across Nigeria as authorities combat the proliferation of unregulated institutions exploiting demand for nursing qualifications. Previous closures in Ogun State include Harvarde College's nursing department in 2024 and iFaat College earlier that year, while Lagos authorities sealed Tower College of Health Sciences in November 2025.
Dr Aminu advised parents and prospective students to verify the accreditation status of health training institutions with the Ministry of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria before enrolling to avoid wasting time and resources on invalid certificates.
