The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has commended the management of Mercy Medical University, Iwo, Osun State, for its reported growth since its establishment, while urging the institution to sustain academic standards, prioritise students’ welfare and ensure compliance with accreditation requirements.

The commendation followed a courtesy visit and institutional engagement led by the NANS Southwest Coordinator, Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, popularly known as BILLIONCODES, on Friday, October 23, 2026.

The delegation included the National Vice President of the National Association of Colleges of Education Students, Comrade Yekeen Rokeeb Oyewole; the Director of Sports, NANS JCC Osun Axis, Comrade Ogunniran Tunde Olamide, representing the Osun State leadership; the Student Union President of the Federal College of Education, Iwo, Comrade Abdulakeem Jamiu Olanrewaju, members of his executive council and other NANS Southwest directors.

Speaking during the meeting, Adeyemo praised the university management for the development recorded within approximately three years of its establishment in 2023. He noted that building a university, particularly one specialising in medical and health-related disciplines, required substantial investment, effective administration and sustained commitment to academic excellence.

He added that NANS’ responsibility to Nigerian students extended to all tertiary institutions, irrespective of whether they were federally owned, state-owned, community-owned or privately owned.

According to him, the association would continue to recognise commendable initiatives, engage management teams constructively and advocate improvements in the interest of students.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muhammed Ibrahim Sule, welcomed the delegation and outlined the institution’s expansion, academic programmes and student engagement policies.

He said the university began with eight academic programmes and subsequently obtained approval for four additional programmes the following year. He also highlighted the institution’s regulatory engagement with the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The Vice-Chancellor identified four locations within the university’s operational structure: Iwo, Telemu, Asamu and Osogbo, where the teaching hospital is situated. He further disclosed that the teaching hospital in Osogbo has a 250-bed capacity.

On student representation, Sule explained that the university currently operates faculty-level representative structures through which students participate in meetings and communicate with management. He expressed optimism that these structures would expand as the institution grows.

He also described the university as one of the more affordable private universities in Osun State and reaffirmed management’s willingness to engage with student organisations, consider constructive suggestions and maintain a welcoming environment for students and staff.

However, the NANS coordinator emphasised that institutional expansion must be accompanied by strict attention to academic quality, programme approval and accreditation. He warned that unresolved accreditation issues could create difficulties for graduates during processes such as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation and other procedures requiring recognised academic qualifications.

Adeyemo stressed that students invest considerable time, money and personal effort in higher education, making it essential for institutions to ensure that their programmes meet applicable regulatory requirements and that students receive accurate information about their accreditation status.

On student unionism, the coordinator acknowledged the faculty-level representation already in place at Mercy Medical University, noting that the institution’s relatively recent establishment provided context for the gradual development of its administrative structures.

He nevertheless encouraged management to strengthen the existing channels of communication and work towards an inclusive, university-wide student representative structure as the institution develops.

The visit also included a request for a guided inspection of the university’s facilities to provide the delegation with firsthand knowledge of its infrastructure, learning environment and student facilities.

NANS Southwest said the engagement formed part of its commitment to constructive institutional partnerships, quality education and students’ welfare across the region.

Concluding, Adeyemo, while extending the goodwill of NANS National President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, popularly known as BABTEE, urged the university to sustain its developmental efforts, strengthen academic standards and continue improving the learning environment.

The association reaffirmed its readiness to work with tertiary institutions across Southwest Nigeria, stressing that institutional development, academic excellence and student welfare should remain shared priorities between management and student leadership.