The President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, has raised serious concerns over the Federal Government’s recent decision to bar professional bodies from conducting independent accreditation in Nigerian universities.
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Prof. Abubakar spoke on Saturday during the 5th Engr. U. G. Jibrin Distinguished Annual Public Lecture, themed “Effective Engineering Administration as Panacea for Building and Infrastructure Collapse,” held in Abuja.
The Federal Government, through a directive issued by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in a letter dated May 20, 2025, announced the decision to halt multiple accreditations of academic programmes by professional bodies in Nigerian universities. The directive, conveyed to all vice chancellors, cited concerns over the increasing trend of such accreditations occurring independently of the NUC.
However, the government granted waivers to seven professional bodies to continue their regulatory activities in collaboration with the NUC. These include the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Council of Legal Education (CLE), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Veterinary Council of Nigeria, COREN, and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
Despite COREN’s inclusion among the exempted bodies, Prof. Abubakar used the platform to highlight the broader implications of the policy, stressing that independent accreditation by professional bodies is a global best practice and essential for ensuring international standards and professional mobility.
“The university system has been burdened by over 30 professional bodies expected to ensure global benchmarking and mobility, yet these bodies lack adequate funding to discharge their duties effectively,” he said.
He continued: “My personal interpretation is that only six or seven regulatory bodies were given waivers, and this shows the government’s prioritisation—rightly or wrongly—of certain professions. As engineers, we must recognise this and work harder to prove our relevance both in training and practice. We must now reflect deeply on the theme of this lecture and ensure we speak with one voice going forward.”
In a strongly-worded contribution, a former COREN President, Engr. Kashim Ali, criticised the Ministry of Education’s directive, describing it as “a misguided move” that undermines professional standards.
“The day we stop accreditation, nobody will recognise us as engineers in the world. It is not a waiver. The ministry has no right to give or deny us that. What has happened is unacceptable,” he said.
Engr. Ali further expressed worry over the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s refineries, blaming poor engineering oversight.
“Port Harcourt refinery is now shut down. Warri will soon follow, and Kaduna hasn’t even started. Before now, people raised alarms about shoddy refurbishments, but they were ignored. The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) must take these warnings seriously and act before disasters happen.”
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