Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano, is one of the private universities that has recently added Medicine and Surgery to its list of approved programmes. This article explains what the Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme at MAAUN actually costs, how its fees compare with the university’s other programmes, and what candidates need to gain admission into it for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Does MAAUN Actually Offer Medicine and Surgery?
Yes. Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria received official approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) in December 2024, alongside approval for Architecture and Quantity Surveying under its School of Environmental Sciences. Before granting this approval, the NUC carried out an inspection of the university’s facilities, teaching staff, and academic resources to confirm the institution could meet the standard required to train medical students. The MBBS programme now runs under a dedicated School of Medicine at MAAUN, alongside the university’s existing School of Nursing Sciences and School of Health Sciences, which cover Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health, and Doctor of Physiotherapy.
This distinguishes MAAUN from a number of other private universities in northern Nigeria that advertise “medical courses” broadly but do not actually hold approval for the Medicine and Surgery degree itself. Candidates should still confirm the university’s Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) accreditation status directly with the university or the council before finalising their decision, since NUC approval to commence a programme and full MDCN accreditation for the purpose of professional licensing are handled by two different regulatory bodies, and full accreditation is typically reviewed as a cohort of students progresses through the programme.
MAAUN School Fees for Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)
According to the university’s own published tuition schedule, the School of Medicine (MBBS) carries the highest tuition fee among all of MAAUN’s schools. For the 2024/2025 academic session, the fee breakdown was as follows:
| Fee Type | School of Medicine (MBBS) |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fee | ₦5,550,000 |
| Admission Fee (Freshmen only) | ₦40,000 |
| Medical Screening Fee | ₦30,000 |
| Matriculation Fee (Freshmen only) | ₦40,000 |
This tuition figure is charged per session and is significantly higher than what MAAUN charges for its other programmes, which is consistent with the pattern seen at most Nigerian universities that run Medicine and Surgery, since the programme requires more laboratories, more clinical training partnerships, specialised teaching staff, and a longer duration of study compared to a standard undergraduate degree.
How MBBS Fees Compare to Other Programmes at MAAUN
To help prospective students see where Medicine and Surgery sits relative to MAAUN’s other schools, the table below summarises the university’s published 2024/2025 tuition fees by school.
| School | Tuition Fee (2024/2025) |
|---|---|
| School of Medicine (MBBS) | ₦5,550,000 |
| School of Law | ₦1,820,000 |
| School of Environmental Sciences (Architecture) | ₦2,000,000 |
| School of Environmental Sciences (Quantity Surveying) | ₦1,500,000 |
| School of Computing | ₦1,502,000 |
| School of Nursing Sciences | ₦1,502,000 |
| School of Health Sciences (Medical Lab Science, Public Health, Physiotherapy) | ₦1,502,000 |
| School of Social and Management Sciences | ₦1,372,000 |
Across every school, freshmen pay the same set of additional charges on top of tuition: a ₦40,000 admission fee, a ₦30,000 medical screening fee, and a ₦40,000 matriculation fee. Returning students in every programme, including Medicine and Surgery, continue paying tuition each session but are not required to pay the admission and matriculation fees again, since these apply only to newly admitted students.
Why Medicine and Surgery Costs More Than Other Courses at MAAUN
The tuition gap between MBBS and MAAUN’s other programmes reflects the practical demands of training a medical doctor rather than an arbitrary pricing decision. A Medicine and Surgery programme requires cadaver and laboratory facilities for anatomy and physiology training, clinical rotations through partner hospitals once students reach the clinical years, specialist consultant lecturers across multiple medical disciplines, and a duration of study that typically runs six years compared to four years for most other undergraduate programmes. These added costs are standard across Nigerian medical schools, whether public or private, and MAAUN’s fee structure reflects the same underlying cost drivers seen at other private institutions running MBBS programmes.
Admission Requirements for Medicine and Surgery at MAAUN
Candidates applying for the MBBS programme at MAAUN need to meet the following conditions:
- A minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, from WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB, obtained at not more than two sittings.
- Registration for UTME with MAAUN selected as the candidate’s first-choice institution, since the university’s admission notice requires first-choice status as a condition for UTME eligibility.
- A UTME score that meets or exceeds the cut-off mark set for the programme. MAAUN’s general cut-off mark for its 2026/2027 admission cycle has been set at 180 and above, though the university’s official admission notices have indicated that candidates should meet the specific score required for their selected course rather than assuming a single uniform figure applies to every programme, since Medicine and Surgery typically carries a higher effective cut-off than the university’s general baseline due to demand and limited available slots.
- Completion of the university’s Post-UTME/Direct Entry screening process.
- For Direct Entry applicants, a relevant National Diploma or an equivalent qualification with suitable grades, along with the standard O’Level requirement.
- A drug test at the university’s Health Services unit, which all newly admitted MAAUN students, including those in Medicine and Surgery, must pass before final enrolment is confirmed.
Because Medicine and Surgery admission quotas are typically smaller than other programmes due to the resource-intensive nature of medical training, candidates should aim to score comfortably above the university’s stated general cut-off mark to improve their realistic chances during the Post-UTME screening and internal selection process.
Payment Structure and Policies at MAAUN
MAAUN generally requires full payment of tuition and compulsory charges before a student can complete course registration for each session, and outstanding balances can affect a student’s eligibility to sit for semester examinations. The university does not publicly advertise a fixed installment payment plan, though students facing genuine financial difficulty are typically advised to approach the Bursary Department directly to discuss available options rather than assuming an automatic payment plan exists. Because private university fee schedules are reviewed periodically, and because MAAUN’s Medicine and Surgery programme is still relatively new, prospective students should confirm the exact, current fee figure for the session they intend to resume in directly through the official MAAUN tuition and fees page or the university’s admissions office, rather than relying on outdated or third-party estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medicine and Surgery actually available at MAAUN, Kano?
Yes. MAAUN received NUC approval to commence Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) in December 2024, and the programme runs under the university’s School of Medicine.
How much is MAAUN’s Medicine and Surgery tuition fee?
The university’s published tuition for the School of Medicine (MBBS) was ₦5,550,000 for the 2024/2025 academic session, in addition to a ₦40,000 admission fee, a ₦30,000 medical screening fee, and a ₦40,000 matriculation fee for freshmen. These figures are reviewed periodically, so candidates should confirm the current session’s exact amount with the university.
What is the UTME cut-off mark for MBBS at MAAUN?
MAAUN’s general cut-off mark for the 2026/2027 session has been set at 180 and above, though the university has indicated that candidates should meet the specific score required for the course they select, and Medicine and Surgery typically demands a higher effective score than the general baseline due to limited slots.
Does MAAUN’s Medicine and Surgery programme have full MDCN accreditation?
The programme currently runs under NUC approval to commence the course. Candidates should confirm the current MDCN accreditation status directly with the university or the council, since professional accreditation for licensing purposes is typically assessed as students progress through the programme.
Are there other medical-related courses at MAAUN besides Medicine and Surgery?
Yes. MAAUN also runs Nursing Science under its School of Nursing Sciences, and Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health, and Doctor of Physiotherapy under its School of Health Sciences.