30 Professional Bodies in Nigeria and Their Functions

As many times as possible, I would always say that it is important for any individual in his/her career to be recognized or registered by a professional body in their career field. It is really evident in the economic situation and trends of the country that we should note that it is important to be a part of one professional body or the other to help you boost your chances of growing in your career and also have an edge over others in searching for a job.

Most careers always insist on those who are involved in the career line to be registered as a professional with the appropriate bodies, examples of such careers are Accountants, Engineers and Scientists.

Why do you join a professional body?

1. To be able to boost your career growth
2. To gain recognition amongst your peers
3. Improve your skills in line with your job
4. To build a good working relationship across various locations with other professionals in your field.
5. Some careers make it essential for you to be part of the professional body for you to be able to get contracts or job offers.

There are also other reasons for you to join a professional body in line with your career, depending on where you fall into.

The duties of most of these professional bodies are actually one of the following:

1. Regulate and maintain the ethics of the profession
2. Train its intending members on how to improve their skills
3. To create a platform for all professionals to relate together as a family.

There are various professional bodies in Nigeria and we will be looking at them and their respective functions.

Professional bodies in Nigeria and their functions:

1. Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria (ICEN):

The ICEN is the professional regulatory body for all economists in Nigeria. They are concerned about the training and regulation of the practice of the profession among all economists. The establishment was made to promote and encourage the study and development of the art and science of economics in all fields and to involve professionalism in the economics profession, to also regulate the activities of its members, to be able to form a common front in advising the government on the best policies to adopt for the nation. To be a member, you will undergo some exams and training in order for you to be considered to be inducted.

2. Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria(ICAN):

ICAN is the body that is in charge of the regulation of the accounting practice in Nigeria. They train and register all successful members who pass their exams and are then recognized as chartered accountants. It is a very expensive process but it is worth it after your registration, because there are very few companies that will employ an accountant that is not chartered.

3. Nigerian Computer Society (NCS):

The NCS is the apex body in charge of all information and technology professionals in the country. The President of the society is Charles Uwadia. They look after the training, improvements of the practice and work ethics of its professionals and intending professionals in the field.

4. Nigerian Society Of Engineers:

This is a body established by a number of engineering professionals in Nigeria. It is like a body that houses all the engineers in Nigeria.

5. Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria:

This is the body recognized by the Federal Government as it is backed by a decree which has signed the act into law. The COREN Is empowered to regulate and control the training of engineers and the practice of engineering in Nigeria. Also they have a function to make sure all engineers in the country are registered

6. Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM):

This body was established to house all the practitioners of Personnel Management in Nigeria. Their function is to Promote excellence in the profession and also regulate the working ethics of its professionals and to train its members on how to deliver value in their jobs.

It is also an approved body by the federal government and backed by Act No. 58 of 1992.

7. National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives(NANNM):

The association was formed in 1938 and registered in1943. It is a professional trade union organisation for the nurses and midwives. It was established to bring together and organise all nurses and midwives in the country, so long as you have been licensed to practice the profession.

8. Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM):

The NIM is in charge of the training and regulation of the practice of management professionals in the country. You will have to join the body through their site, register with a fee and then register to write their exams which upon success, you will be inducted as a member of the body and recognized as a Professional Manger.

9. Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors:

NIQS is a regulatory body for all Quantity surveyors in Nigeria. It was established by some quantity surveyors who trained and practiced in the United Kingdom and then came back to Nigeria to form a parallel body with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors of United Kingdom.

Their purpose is to produce world class surveyors and regulate and continue to enhance the standards of the profession and then to provide quality service to its clients.

• The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA):

The Nigerian Bar Association is the umbrella body for all law practitioners in the country. It is comprised of all lawyers that are called to bar in the country. They also involve themselves in the defending and promotion of Human rights, the rule of law and good governance in the country.

Their motto is “Promoting the rule of Law”.

With various functions such as promoting the rule of law, promoting the highest standard of professional conduct in the profession, promote networking opportunities among the members of the association.

11. Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Nigeria:

For all stockbrokers in the country, this is the apex body for all practitioners in the profession.

12. Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria
13. Agricultural Society of Nigeria
14. Forestry Association of Nigeria
15. Association of Nigerian Authors
16. Nigerian Institute of Food Science And Technology
17. Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria
18. National Teachers’ Institute
19. Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria
20. Nigerian Medical Association
21. Association of National Accountants of Nigeria

• Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria

23. Chartered Institute of Administration

• Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria

25. Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria
26. Institute of Credit and Risk Management
27. Pharmacist Council of Nigeria
28. Nigerian Institute of Public Relations
29. Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria
30. Nigerian Institute of Industrial Management.

Conclusion

It is necessary to identify with the professional body associated with your profession in order to improve your chances of getting employed, creating networking opportunities among fellow members and being up to date of ethics and practices among the profession. There are several other professional bodies in Nigeria, but these are a few of the numerous professional bodies in the country.

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