Prominent education advocate and social entrepreneur, Alex Onyia, has sounded an urgent alarm concerning the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Faculty of Dentistry, which is reportedly on the brink of losing its accreditation by July 2025 if immediate action is not taken.
In a passionate tweet posted on X (formerly Twitter), Onyia revealed that the UNN Faculty of Dentistry remains the only institution in the entire South East region of Nigeria permitted to graduate dental surgeons, a critical healthcare cadre in the country. Shockingly, the faculty is only allowed to graduate 15 dental surgeons annually, an inadequate number to serve a region with over 60 million people.
“UNN Faculty of Dentistry is about to lose its accreditation this July if we don’t act now. They are the only institution in the entire South East permitted to graduate dental surgeons. That means 15 dental surgeons to serve over 60 million people. I will donate. I want us to donate to this and urgently save our institution,” Onyia tweeted.
He further expressed concern about the unclear source of funding that should have been provided to sustain the faculty, describing the situation as “beyond sad for a great institution like this.”
Alex Onyia, known for his impactful interventions in Nigeria’s education sector, including his role in exposing errors in the 2025 JAMB examinations and leading school renovations, called on well-meaning individuals and organizations to join him in donating to salvage the faculty and prevent its accreditation loss.
The looming threat to the faculty’s accreditation raises broader concerns about the state of higher education and specialized healthcare training in Nigeria, especially in critical professions like dentistry. The potential loss of accreditation could exacerbate the already dire shortage of dental professionals in the region.
Stakeholders in the education and health sectors are now watching closely to see if collective action, fueled by Onyia’s call, can prevent what would be a significant blow to healthcare education and delivery in Nigeria’s South East.
He shared in X a letter addressed to him from the institution as he draws the attention of the general public
