By ABAH ADAH, Abuja
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, successfully convened its 188th Ordinary Council Meeting in the first quarter of 2026, during which it took far-reaching decisions aimed at advancing its statutory mandate to regulate and elevate the standards of engineering education, training, and professional practice across Nigeria.
A statement signed by COREN Registrar/CEO, Prof O.A.U. Uche, noted that “in line with COREN’s commitment to global recognition and professional mobility of Nigerian engineering qualifications, Council approved a landmark international engagement strategy”.
It includes approval for COREN, in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, to submit applications for Provisional Status under the Sydney Accord and the Dublin Accord, as well as the submission of COREN’s application for Full Signatory Status under the Washington Accord.
These applications according to the statement will be pursued in strict compliance with the requirements of the International Engineering Alliance, IEA, marking a critical step toward global acceptance of Nigerian engineering qualifications.
The statement explained further that to support the international aspirations with strong domestic institutional structures, Council approved the creation of specialised Units within the Engineering Education and Accreditation Department. This restructuring is aimed at ensuring effective alignment with the Washington, Sydney, and Dublin Accord frameworks, while strengthening COREN’s regulatory oversight of engineering and technology education at all levels, with particular focus on improving standards in technical colleges.
Council also endorsed the draft Amendment Bill to the COREN Act as a major regulatory reform initiative designed to strengthen professionalism, public safety, and accountability within the engineering sector. The endorsed Amendment Bill also expands the scope of Engineering Regulation and Monitoring Enforcement, ERME, to cover multiple sectors of the national economy.
The proposed amendments further introduce mandatory insurance of infrastructure to ensure effective compensation for injury or death resulting from infrastructure failure, as well as the criminalisation of the use of sub-standard materials and the unauthorised alteration of approved engineering designs during construction, among other critical provisions.
In furtherance of its continuous efforts to refine professional standards, Council approved the draft report of the Technical Review Committee on the Engineers’ Code of Practice and Conditions of Engagement, ECOPACCE, including the draft revised ECOPACCE document.
The initiative is aimed at ensuring that professional service fees and engagement conditions reflect contemporary best practices and prevailing economic realities.
In line with its statutory mandate, Council approved the registration of 2,672 engineering practitioners across various cadres, registered engineering firms in multiple categories including 30 consulting firms, and accredited three NSQF Engineering Skills Training Providers, bringing the total number of registered firms and providers to 118.
“These resolutions collectively underscore COREN’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the engineering regulatory framework, enhancing the quality of engineering education and professional practice, safeguarding public interest, and positioning Nigeria’s engineering profession competitively within the global community,” the engineering watchdog concluded.
COREN has at different fora reiterated its commitment to raising the bar of the engineering practice in the country to global standards.