•Peter Obi with the UNICAL dental students
Former Anambra governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has donated ₦20 million to the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) to support over 400 dental students facing potential expulsion due to accreditation challenges.
The donation, announced yesterday, Thursday, July 24, 2025, is aimed at addressing critical equipment shortages and infrastructural deficiencies that have plagued the faculty.
The issues stem from the university’s over-admission of students — far beyond the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s (MDCN) approved annual quota of 10, leaving hundreds at risk of not graduating or being inducted as dental surgeons.
Obi, who was received warmly by students and faculty during his visit to UNICAL, stated that no student should be denied education due to institutional shortcomings.
“Education is a right, not a privilege. We must support our institutions and protect the future of our young professionals,” he emphasised in a statement shared on social media.
The ₦20 million donation to the UNICAL dental students is expected to go toward the procurement of vital training equipment, including dental chairs and laboratory upgrades, in line with MDCN accreditation standards.
University officials say the intervention will significantly accelerate efforts to resolve the faculty’s accreditation issues.
This latest gesture follows Obi’s recent ₦15 million donation to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Dental Students Association, reaffirming his continued commitment to educational and healthcare development across the country.
The Faculty of Dentistry in UNICAL expressed profound gratitude, noting that Obi’s intervention comes at a crucial time and could be a turning point in securing the future of hundreds of students.
The university is expected to complete its procurement processes and provide timely updates on its progress due to the donation.
