Alausa Urges Universities to Train More Autism, Mental Health Specialists

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has urged Nigerian universities to introduce specialised degree programmes to address shortages of autism, mental health and other healthcare professionals.

The proposed programmes include audiology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, clinical psychology and medical social work.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Alausa urged vice-chancellors to align university curricula with national workforce needs and growing demand for specialised care.

He said expanding training in these fields would strengthen local expertise, improve access to specialist services and create employment opportunities for young Nigerians.

The minister also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s plan to establish autism centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The centres are expected to provide diagnostic and therapeutic services, support research and connect families with healthcare professionals and educational institutions.

Alausa said the initiatives formed part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen human capital development, improve public services and make higher education more responsive to national priorities.

He commended Dr Victoria Amu, chairperson of the Federal Government committee on the advancement of audiology, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy, for her work on the proposed programmes.

The minister urged university administrators to collaborate with Amu, regulatory agencies and professional bodies to develop the courses and ensure they meet academic and professional standards.

The planned autism centres could also improve access to developmental services, particularly in underserved communities, while strengthening collaboration between universities and healthcare providers.

However, the statement did not specify the centres’ locations, implementation timeline, funding arrangements or the universities expected to host them.

About the Author

Mirian Gom

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Gom Mirian is a Nigerian journalist and editor at Africa Health Report (AHR), with more than a decade of experience covering health, development, humanitarian issues and public-interest affairs across Nigeria and Africa. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and has additional training in data analytics, combining evidence-driven reporting with compelling human-centred storytelling. Her work examines the intersection of health, policy, economics, technology and social change, with a particular interest in how global decisions and emerging challenges affect communities across Africa. Her journalism has received professional recognition, including a Nestlé Award nomination for human-interest reporting. Follow her on X @mirian_linus.

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