The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has pushed back against remarks made by Pastor Poju Oyemade, founder of The Covenant Nation, accusing the cleric of downplaying the financial and emotional burden faced by medical students in Nigeria.
In a viral sermon, Pastor Oyemade claimed that becoming a doctor in Nigeria costs a mere N500,000—an assertion that has sparked backlash, particularly among medical professionals.
Comparing Nigeria to the U.S., he suggested that doctors trained locally should be more grateful, stating that American medical students spend significantly more at institutions like Harvard or Johns Hopkins.
“In Nigeria, a person will graduate as a medical doctor and spend N500,000 throughout. In America, you spend $2,000 or more. Are you okay?” Oyemade said, questioning Nigerians’ attitudes toward their country’s subsidized education system. He also took aim at Nigerians who juggle multiple jobs abroad but resist doing the same at home, claiming that similar hustle within Nigeria would yield success.
However, NARD responded with a strongly worded statement on X.com, rejecting Oyemade’s claims as factually inaccurate and damaging. “With due respect, your recent comments reflect a misunderstanding of the realities surrounding medical education and the healthcare system in Nigeria,” the association said.
The doctors’ body cited a 2021 peer-reviewed study by Osoba et al., published in the Pan African Medical Journal, which estimates the true cost of medical training in Nigeria at between $21,000 and $51,000. These figures include tuition, accommodation, books, feeding, and other living expenses over the course of a six-year program.
