The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) said it has concluded arrangements to enforce the renewal of practising licences for all cadres of engineering practitioners based on the attainment of Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs).
The President of COREN, Professor Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, made this known during an interview with select journalists in Abuja.
He noted that the move is in collaboration with professional engineering bodies including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE), the Nigerian Institution of Engineering Science and Technology (NiSET), and the Association of Engineering Craftsmen (NAEC) under the Engineering Family Executive Committee (EFEC).
According to him, the initiative is part of broader reforms aimed at repositioning the profession and aligning it with international accords such as the Washington, Sydney, and Dublin Accords under the International Engineering Alliance (IEA).
“In its bid to advance professionalism, COREN has concluded an arrangement with the professional bodies (NSE, NATE, NiSET, NAEC) under EFEC to commence the implementation of enforcing renewal of practising licence for all cadres of engineering practitioners on the attainment/earning of CPDU.
“This marks a new chapter in our efforts to ensure that engineering practice in Nigeria is driven by competence, innovation, and adherence to global standards. The implementation of CPDU-based licence renewal will guarantee that all engineering practitioners remain professionally updated and ethically grounded”, he said.
He added that COREN is already working with key stakeholders across the education and industrial sectors, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and Industrial Training Fund (ITF), to support structured training and professional development through the newly introduced Engineering Residency Programme (ERP).
The COREN president also announced that the Council has begun registering and certifying engineering artisans across Nigeria, integrating the National Skills Qualification (NSQ) framework levels 1 to 6, and establishing a separate register for that category of professionals.
Abubakar also stressed COREN’s recent partnership with regulators in critical sectors such as Oil and Gas, Power, Aviation, Construction, and Transportation, saying the collaboration aims to expand COREN’s regulatory coverage and ensure engineering input meets national and international benchmarks.
He said: “Recall that COREN became a provisional signatory of the Washington Accord (WA) under the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) in 2023, making Nigeria the 2nd African Country after South Africa.
“To consolidate on this achievement, NUC and COREN have agreed to commence joint accreditation of Engineering Programmes in Universities similar to the existing practice between NBTE and COREN for the Polytechnics and Monotechnics.
“It is also gratifying to note that JAMB agreed to commence the regulation of admission into Engineering and Technology Programmes in the Nigerian University system to align with the global benchmarks and promote MRA and global mobility of graduates across IEA member states.
“In line with the aspiration of COREN to meet the global standards of the Sydney Accord (SA) and Dublin Accord (DA) under the IEA, I am also happy to inform you that NBTE and COREN are finalising modalities to commence accreditation of Technical Colleges in Nigeria this coming academic session.
“In response to the goals of the current FGN Administration, the Council approved the resuscitation of Supervised Industrial Training Scheme in Engineering (SITSIE) under a new name of Engineering Residency Programme (ERP) and planned to engage the National Assembly to seek legislative backing for its sustainable funding in line with the existing COREN law.
“The Council constituted a Task Force on ERP, which will be inaugurated on Wednesday, 16th July, during the Engineering Family Forum. Relevant organisations like NUC, NBTE, ITF, MAN, NSE, NATE, etc, were contacted and are ready to participate and support the laudable initiative.
“Aligning with the current FGN administration’s renewed hope agenda, I am happy to report that COREN has commenced the implementation of the assessment, certification, registration and licensing of the Artisans involved in engineering practice across Nigeria”.
Abubakar called on the Federal Government and industry stakeholders to support COREN’s efforts, particularly by restoring funding to the council to effectively carry out its regulatory mandate.
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TCN Adds 250mw To National Grid
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said it has successfully inaugurated a new 330/132/33 kilovolts (KV) transmission substation in Bauchi town.
Mrs Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, said in a statement in Abuja.
She said the inauguration which took place on July 3, added 250 Megawatts (MW) to the national grid.
According to her, the substation project commenced in February 2022 and comprises 2×150 Mega Volt Ampree (MVA) power transformers and a 1x75MVA reactor, among others.
”Currently, the substation feeds the existing Bauchi 132/33kV substation and supply will be extended to other substations subsequently.
”Two new transmission towers were also erected as part of the project to further boost network flexibility.
”This project is a TCN/ World Bank initiative that aims to further enhance power supply in Bauchi as well as the Northeast.
“The benefiting customers are mostly within the Jos Electricity Distribution Company franchise, ”she said.
Mbah said the development underscores TCN’s commitment to expanding the transmission grid and improving electricity infrastructure nationwide.
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Chamber Of Commerce Laments As Power Outage Cripples Businesses In Lagos
The Badagry Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA) says power outages are crippling businesses in Badagry town.
The President, BACCIMA, Alhaji Idris Yahaya, said this in an interview on Thursday in Badagry.
Yahaya appealed to the Lagos State Government to urgently look into the protracted electricity outage, stressing that economic activities are at a standstill in the area.
“Badagry and its environs are hanging by a thread, industries can’t thrive in the dark.
“BACCIMA is the voice of business along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor from Seme to Apapa, covering the entire old Badagry Division.
“Today, many towns, villages, and markets in this region remain in total darkness. “How can Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) survive under such conditions? It’s simply not possible,” he said.
He noted that artisans, market women dealing in frozen foods and beverages and key players in the MSMEs ecosystem rely heavily on electricity to sustain their operations.
Yahaya added that the current blackout had left many unable to preserve goods or run essential equipment. “The cost of fueling generators for homes and businesses is unbearable. It’s killing,” he said.
According to him, traders, farmers, and entrepreneurs cannot meet their financial obligations – such as rents, school fees, and even food.
“This is so because the lifeline of their operations is nonexistent,” he said. Idris called for an immediate overhaul of the electricity supply infrastructure and the construction of a dedicated substation and transmission facility in Badagry.
“This will serve communities like Apa-Owode, Seme, Ajara Agelaso, Vetho, Itoun, Agbovipe, Agadangba, and surrounding areas.
“It is unimaginable that Nigeria’s border communities remain in darkness, while across the divide in Seme-Poji, Benin Republic, electricity is stable and streets are well-lit,” he added. (NAN)
