The Federal Government has issued a final reminder to prospective applicants for the second cohort of the National Health Fellows Programme, urging them to complete their registration before the 30 November 2025 deadline.
The scheme, established to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, targets young professionals who can support community-level health services across the country.
Designed to expand Nigeria’s health workforce, the initiative is housed under the Sector Wide Approach Coordination Office in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Successful fellows will be trained, remunerated, and deployed to all 774 local government areas to support public health interventions.
According to information released on Wednesday, candidates aged between 25 and 35 with qualifications in health sciences, ICT, social sciences, or related fields are eligible to apply. Officials noted that the first cohort, admitted in January 2025, has already completed its training and is currently working nationwide.
“The selection remains strictly merit-based, involving screening, competency reviews, and interviews to ensure only qualified candidates are admitted,” the ministry stated.
Selected fellows will receive structured instruction covering public health, community engagement, disease prevention, data reporting, and leadership skills. This will be followed by supervised field placement aimed at providing hands-on experience in primary healthcare settings.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the initiative is part of efforts to build a new generation of competent health leaders who can strengthen the country’s health system from the grassroots.
He added that the performance of the first cohort showed the capacity of young Nigerians to deliver meaningful results when given structured opportunities.
The government urged interested applicants to visit the official National Health Fellows Programme information channels and ensure their applications are completed before the deadline.
