Tinubu names Prof Murtala Ahmad CMD of Sokoto teaching hospital
- President Tinubu has appointed Professor Murtala Ahmad to lead the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.
- The appointment runs for an initial four years from October 20, 2026, the hospital said.
- Ahmad, a paediatric specialist, takes over from Professor Anas Ahmad Sabir, whose two terms ended in May.
President Bola Tinubu has approved a new head for the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto. The choice is Professor Murtala Muhammad Ahmad, who becomes the hospital's seventh substantive Chief Medical Director (CMD).
The hospital's public affairs office announced the appointment in a statement. It said the letter came from the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
The job starts as a four-year first term, counted from October 20, 2026. Professor Ahmad steps into the seat left by Professor Anas Ahmad Sabir, who finished two full terms in May.
Why it matters to patients in Sokoto
Teaching hospitals like UDUTH serve two purposes at once: they treat patients and they train the doctors and specialists who staff other hospitals. Who runs them affects waiting times, the quality of care and whether trained staff stay or leave.
In the announcement, Professor Pate reminded the new CMD of the weight of the office and of what Nigerians expect from their health system. He asked him to work with all sides so the hospital keeps delivering good care.
Professor Ahmad is a paediatrician with more than 20 years in child health. He studied medicine at Usmanu Danfodiyo University and later earned a fellowship in paediatrics from the West African College of Physicians. He also holds a teaching diploma from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and further certificates in child brain testing, leadership and public administration from institutions in Cape Town, Washington and Nigeria's ASCON.
He rose through the ranks at the university and the hospital, from lecturer to professor of paediatrics. He has served as deputy chairman of the hospital's medical advisory committee for training, and has stood in as acting CMD more than once. His research covers child health, child neurology and epilepsy, and he has trained health workers on treating severe malnutrition.
The hospital noted that he is only the second graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University to lead it, which it called a milestone.