Oyo Assembly Takes First Reading of Bill to Rename College of Nursing, Create Satellite Campuses

The Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday took the first reading of a Bill seeking to amend the Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery Law, 2005, with a view to renaming the institution and strengthening its operational and academic framework.

The Bill, titled Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was read on the floor of the House during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin.

The proposed legislation seeks to change the name of the institution from Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery to Oyo State College of Nursing Sciences, in line with the evolving landscape of nursing education and to align the College with national and international standards.

According to the highlights of the Bill, the amendment empowers the Governing Council of the College to establish satellite campuses in any part of Oyo State, while providing legal backing for any satellite campuses already in existence.

It further stipulates that the management and day-to-day administration of such campuses shall remain under the control of the main campus until prescribed developmental milestones are attained, after which the State Government may grant autonomy.

To ensure effective academic and administrative coordination, the Bill proposes the creation of the office of a Deputy Provost for each satellite campus.

The Deputy Provost, to be appointed for a tenure of two years, will oversee academic and administrative affairs of the campus and be responsible to the Provost.

The amendment also enables the College to mount courses approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and to affiliate with any recognized local or international university that meets its requirements and shares the vision of the institution, as may be determined by the Governing Council.

Further provisions of the Bill include a review of the composition of the Governing Council to accommodate a Chairman who must be a retired graduate nurse with at least fifteen years post-qualification experience.

It also provides for a single, fixed tenure of five years for principal officers of the College, including the Provost, Registrar, Librarian, Bursar and Director of Works.

In addition, the Bill proposes a uniform retirement age of sixty-five years for all academic and non-teaching staff of the College, notwithstanding the length of service or the provisions of any other law, regulation or condition of service.