Section 9: Approval of courses, qualifications and institutions.

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the Council may approve for the purposes of the Act-
(a) any course of training which is intended for persons who are seeking to become, or are already members of the medical or dental profession and which the Council considers is designed to confer on person completing it sufficient knowledge and skill for the practice of that profession or for practice as members of a specialised branch of that profession;
(b) any institution in Nigeria which the Council considers is properly organised and equipped for conducting the whole or any part of a course of training approved by the Council under this section;
(c) any qualification which, as a result of an examination taken in conjunction with a course of training approved by the Council under this section is granted to candidates reaching a standard at the examination indicating, in the opinion of the Council, that they have sufficient knowledge and skill to practice the profession in question or to practise as members of a specialised branch of that profession.
(2) The Council shall not, in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section, approve a qualification granted by an institution in Nigeria unless the qualification bears one of the following designations (with or without the addition of words indicating specialisation in a particular field), that is to say-
(a) Bachelor of medicine and surgery; or
(b) Bachelor of dental surgery.
(3) The Council may institute an assessment examination for holders of foreign medical or dental qualifications recognised by the government of the countries from where such qualifications were obtained.
(4) The Council may, if it thinks fit, withdraw any approval given under this section in respect of any course, qualification or institution, but before withdrawing such an approval, the Council shall-
(a) give notice that it proposes to do so to each person by whom the course is conducted or the qualification is granted or the institution is controlled, as the case may be;
(b) afford each such person an opportunity of making to the Council representations with regard to the proposal; and
(c) take into consideration any representations made as respects the proposal in pursuance of paragraph (b) of this subsection.
(5) As respects any period during which the approval of the Council under this section for a course, qualification or institution is withdrawn, the course, qualification or institution shall not be treated as approved under this section; but the withdrawal of such an approval shall not prejudice the registration or eligibility for registration of any person who by virtue of the approval was registered or eligible for registration (either unconditionally or subject to his obtaining a certificate of experience) immediately before the approval was withdrawn.
(6) The giving or withdrawal of an approval under this section shall have effect from such date, either before or after the execution of the instrument signifying the giving or withdrawal of approval, as the Council may specify in the instrument; and the Council shall-
(a) as soon as may be, publish a copy of every such instrument in the Federal Gazette; and
(b) not later than seven days before its publication as aforesaid, send a copy of the instrument to the Minister.