COREN Criminalises Use Of Sub-Standard Materials

The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has approved the registration of 2,672 engineering practitioners across various cadres.

Also, it has registered engineering firms in multiple categories including 30 consulting firms and accredited three National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) Engineering Skills Training Providers, bringing the total number of registered firms and providers to 118.

A statement to THE WHISTLER in Abuja on Tuesday by COREN’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer Professor Okorie Austine Uche, said that the development was part of the resolutions taken at COREN’s 188th Ordinary Council Meeting held in the first quarter of 2026.

The statement stated that the Council had approved an international engagement strategy that will see the COREN, in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), apply for Provisional Status under the Sydney and Dublin Accords, while pursuing Full Signatory Status under the Washington Accord.

According to the statement, the applications will be undertaken in strict compliance with the requirements of the International Engineering Alliance (IEA).

To support these international aspirations, the Council also approved the establishment of specialised units within its Engineering Education and Accreditation Department. The restructuring is designed to ensure effective alignment with the Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accord frameworks.

The Council also endorsed a draft Amendment Bill to the COREN Act, aimed at strengthening professionalism, accountability and public safety in the engineering sector.

The amended act made provisions for the expansion of Engineering Regulation and Monitoring Enforcement (ERME) across multiple sectors of the economy, mandatory insurance of infrastructure to guarantee compensation in cases of injury or death arising from infrastructure failure, and the criminalisation of the use of sub-standard materials or unauthorised alterations to approved engineering designs during construction.

The Council also approved the draft report of the Technical Review Committee on the Engineers’ Code of Practice and Conditions of Engagement (ECOPACCE), alongside a revised ECOPACCE document.

According to the statement, the review is intended to ensure that professional fees and engagement conditions reflect current economic realities and global best practices.