Yobe State has secured automatic employment for all 416 graduates of the Shehu Sule College of Nursing Sciences, as the state government moves to address staffing shortages in its healthcare facilities.

Governor Mai Mala Buni announced the decision on Tuesday at the institution's graduation ceremony in Damaturu, where he was represented by his deputy, Idi Gubana. The beneficiaries comprise 158 Community Nurses, 196 Basic Nurses and Midwives, and 62 Higher National Diploma Nursing graduates.

Buni framed the announcement within his administration's broader healthcare agenda, stating, "This gesture aligns with our sustained investment in the health sector and our commitment to bridging manpower gaps in our healthcare facilities."

The governor also noted that his administration had recruited 3,500 healthcare workers in recent years, many of them graduates of the same institution. "In recent years, the government has recruited over 3,500 healthcare workers, many of whom are graduates of this institution, to ensure adequate staffing and professionalism in the sector," he affirmed.

Buni pledged continued support for the college, expressing his intention to reposition it as a leading health training centre in Nigeria. He also commended the outgoing Provost, Hadiza Sabo, for maintaining high academic standards throughout her tenure.

The outgoing provost disclosed that between 2019 and 2026, the college graduated 1,485 students, all of whom received automatic employment offers, a policy she credited with improving recruitment, deployment, and retention of healthcare workers across the state.

Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Mohammed Lawan Gana, added further context to the state's healthcare performance, disclosing that Yobe recently emerged as the best performing state in primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria. The recognition followed an assessment conducted by the Nigeria Governors' Forum under a Federal Government initiative and earned the state a $1.2 million prize.

Buni also highlighted the establishment of a Biomedical Research and Training Centre at the state university as part of efforts to build research capacity and train young scientists. The ceremony additionally featured the commissioning of projects and the launch of a compendium magazine documenting the administration's achievements.