Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo has signed a bill converting the Reference Hospital in Okene into the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Teaching Hospital.

This was announced in Lokoja yesterday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications Kingsley Fanwo.

The move aligns with the National Universities Commission’s approval of a full-time Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme, among other medical courses, at CUSTECH.

According to Fanwo, the step ensures the program begins on a solid foundation. He said: “This achievement is the result of months of coordinated engagement between the university, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education.

“We commend the House of Assembly for passing the bill, which has now been signed into law by Governor Ododo.”

He emphasized the administration’s prioritisation of healthcare, noting that the former Reference Hospital —now the CUSTECH Teaching Hospital— is equipped with world-class medical facilities, some of which are debuting for the first time in Africa.