The College of Medicine was founded to produce highly trained medical manpower, to provide specialist medical services and to conduct research into medical related problems.

The process for the establishment of the Medical School started in March 1959 when the then Minister of Education, Hon Aja Nwachukwu set up a Commission on Post School Certificate and Higher Education in Nigeria. This commission was chaired by Sir Eric Ashby.

Based on the report of the Ashby Commission, the Federal Government of Nigeria issued a report on ‘Educational Development 1961-70’ part of which stated that the University of Lagos will have a medical school and utilize existing medical institutions for training in clinical medicine.

On the 26th of December 1961, a law known as ‘The Lagos University Teaching Hospital Act’ was enacted. It provided that the Teaching Hospital be established for the purposes of providing such facilities for the training of medical students as are usually provided by teaching hospitals of high repute. A bill for the establishment of The University of Lagos was subsequently passed on the 13th of April 1962 and this law designated the Medical School as an autonomous unit of the University.

Recruitment of staff was carried out from the 5th of February 1962 by Dr M.A. Majekodunmi, then Minister of Health who went on a tour of the UK, Ireland, USA and Canada for this purpose. His success in recruiting highly qualified experts for the teaching hospital was greatly facilitated by the Director of International Medical Education of the American College of Education, Dr Henry van Zile Hyde. Through Dr Hyde, it was possible to meet heads of departments and faculty members of a number of medical schools in these countries.

The Universities of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and the University of Toronto in particular have taken a special interest in the development of the Medical School of the University of Lagos.

The Medical School was redesignated, College of Medicine University of Lagos by a decree of the Federal Military Government on the 10th of March 1967. This decree reconstituted the University of Lagos and incorporated within it the College of Medicine.

In October 1962, the first batch of 28 students was admitted into the Institution and The College to date has produced over 6000 graduates in disciplines of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, microbiology, physiotherapy, physiology, and pharmacology. It has also produced graduates with M.Sc., M.Phil, and Ph.D degrees in various disciplines. In addition, it has awarded MD degrees in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Medical Microbiology, Pharmacy, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine, Clinical Pathology and Child health and Primary Care.

Currently, The college consists of 32 departments with a student population of 2003 and an academic staff strength of 211. Most of its services including students' records are computerized and there is an intranet link with the main campus of the University of Lagos.

The College Library has several volumes of books and current journals and is also fully computerized with internet facilities. The Biomedical Communications Unit now has an enhanced and computerized production facility.

The environment is serene and there is a cordial and warm atmosphere around staff and students alike. On campus, hostel accommodation is available and there is security of life and property.