The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has approved a nationwide audit of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to check compliance with the enhanced entry-point policy for engineers in the public service.

The council also plans to renew discussions with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) on the implementation of the policy.

COREN reached the decisions during its 190th Ordinary Council Meeting in Abuja.

COREN Steps Up Regulatory Enforcement

COREN Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Okorie Uche, announced the decisions on Thursday.

Uche said the council would strengthen compliance and enforcement across the engineering profession. The measures will focus on professional standards, technical skills, regulation and public safety.

He said COREN wants engineering professionals and firms to meet established regulatory requirements.

The council also approved the registration of 2,001 engineering practitioners.

The new registrants include 1,410 engineers, 227 engineering technologists and 15 engineering technicians. The list also contains 334 engineering craftsmen and 15 expatriate practitioners.

COREN also approved 33 engineering firms for registration across different areas of engineering practice.

Renewable Energy Certification Gets Attention

The council approved full accreditation for some firms under its Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) Certification Scheme.

COREN runs the scheme in partnership with the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP).

The initiative aims to improve professional capacity and promote standards in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The council also reviewed certification examination results from seven training centres. A total of 478 candidates took the examinations, while 177 candidates passed.

COREN then directed Enerplaz Paygo Solutions in Port Harcourt to adopt the COREN/NESP-approved Solar Photovoltaic Installation Training Curriculum.

Stronger Response to Engineering Failures

The council also considered the problem of recurring engineering failures and building collapses.

COREN approved measures to strengthen its regulatory intervention and enforcement activities. The council said the measures would help it respond more effectively to breaches that could put lives and property at risk.

The new approach includes a competency development programme for Engineering Regulation Inspection Officers.

COREN also approved a wider regulatory strategy. The plan includes a nationwide public awareness campaign and an integrated digital compliance and verification platform.

Other measures include mandatory COREN compliance for engineering procurement and approvals. The council also plans to strengthen Engineering Compliance Inspectorate Units.

National Engineering Practice Database Planned

COREN plans to establish a National Engineering Practice Database.

The database will support the monitoring, verification and regulation of engineering activities across Nigeria.

The council also intends to work more closely with relevant government agencies. It will enforce stricter compliance with annual practising licence requirements.

The move could give regulators better information about engineering professionals and firms operating across the country.

COREN to Regulate Engineering Artisans

The council also approved the automation of registration for engineering artisans and Skills Training Centres through the COREN Portal.

It further approved measures to strengthen the recognition and regulation of engineering craftsmen.

COREN will collaborate with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to develop National Occupational Standards for several technical occupations.

These occupations include bicycle mechanics, GSM phone repairs, satellite installation, tractor operation and maintenance, motor body building and transmission repairs.

The move is aimed at improving technical skills and creating clearer standards for different engineering-related occupations.

New Framework for Engineering Education

COREN also approved the implementation of the National Engineering Admission Quota and Carrying Capacity Enforcement Framework.

The framework will support quality assurance in engineering education. It will also help ensure that engineering programmes at Nigerian universities remain within approved capacity and standards.

The council further approved revised Terms of Reference for its Codes and Standards Committee.

The committee will focus on developing, reviewing, promoting and monitoring engineering codes and standards.

COREN Approves Engineering Fee Scale

The council approved the adoption of the Engineering Sliding Scale of Fees in Nigeria (ESSOFIN).

COREN also plans to hold regional stakeholder engagement workshops before the end of 2026.

The workshops will allow practitioners, government institutions and other industry stakeholders to discuss the new measures. They are also expected to support consultation, consensus-building and wider acceptance of the initiatives.

The nationwide MDA audit and other regulatory measures come as COREN seeks to strengthen oversight of engineering practice in Nigeria. Effective enforcement of professional standards remains important to the safety and quality of buildings, infrastructure and other engineering projects across the country.

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The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately discontinue the practice of placing civil servants on mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, clarifying that such a provision does not exist in the Public Service Rules (PSR).

The directive was issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, through a circular addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, heads of agencies and other senior government officials.

In the circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” Walson-Jack noted that several MDAs had wrongly interpreted the three-month retirement notice period as an automatic leave entitlement, resulting in the premature withdrawal of officers from active service.

According to her, Public Service Rule 120243 only requires officers approaching retirement to provide three months’ notice, attend a one-month pre-retirement seminar or workshop, and utilise the remaining period to regularise service records and pension documentation.

“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” the Head of Service stated.

She explained that the rule establishes three separate obligations: notification of retirement, participation in approved pre-retirement programmes, and completion of administrative requirements before retirement.

The circular emphasised that retiring officers remain full public servants throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties unless attending approved workshops or granted leave under existing regulations.

“PSR 120243 does not exempt retiring officers from official duties during the notice period, except where they are attending an approved pre-retirement workshop or seminar, or are otherwise authorised to be absent under extant leave rules,” the circular stated.

As a result, all MDAs have been directed to stop compelling officers due for retirement to vacate their offices before their official retirement dates.

Under the directive, retiring officers are expected to continue discharging their responsibilities while simultaneously participating in approved retirement preparation programmes and completing pension documentation processes.

The Head of Service also instructed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory agencies and chief executives of government organisations to ensure strict compliance with the new directive.

The clarification is expected to impact thousands of federal civil servants approaching retirement annually.

For years, many government institutions treated the three-month notice period as a form of extended leave, often directing officers to stop reporting for work immediately after submitting retirement notices. The new directive seeks to standardise implementation of the Public Service Rules and prevent the loss of experienced manpower before official retirement dates.

The Federal Government believes the measure will improve service delivery by allowing retiring officers to continue contributing their expertise while completing retirement and pension documentation.

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The rising cost of public projects in Nigeria has come under renewed scrutiny as industry experts and policymakers call for institutional reforms to strengthen cost control mechanisms across government agencies.

The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors has urged the Federal Government to mandate the engagement of certified quantity surveyors in procurement and contract management processes to ensure transparency, accountability, and cost efficiency.

Speaking in Abuja, NIQS President Aminu Bashir emphasised that quantity surveyors are equipped with the technical expertise required to manage construction costs and prevent financial leakages in infrastructure delivery.

He made the call during the naming of the institute’s secretariat building in honour of former president Olusegun Ajanlekoko, describing him as a distinguished professional whose contributions have shaped cost management practices in Nigeria’s construction industry.

Former Cross River State governor Donald Duke reinforced the call for reform, advocating the establishment of dedicated cost control units within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to oversee project budgeting and execution.

Duke noted that effective cost management remains critical to reducing waste in public spending, citing the Tinapa Resort project where professional cost oversight reportedly saved about N3 billion during its development.

Also speaking at the event, Chairman of Family Homes Fund Limited Demola Adebise stressed that the role of quantity surveyors has become increasingly vital in ensuring value delivery, particularly in large-scale housing and infrastructure projects.

He observed that sustainable project delivery at scale cannot be achieved without strong built environment professionals, describing quantity surveyors as central to maintaining financial discipline in construction processes.

In his remarks, Ajanlekoko called for the consistent deployment of registered professionals in both public and private sector projects, stressing that adherence to professional standards is essential to achieving value for money.

He urged practitioners to uphold integrity, discipline, and excellence, noting that leadership in the profession must be anchored on service, character, and long-term value creation rather than personal recognition.

Ajanlekoko described the naming of the Abuja secretariat building in his honour as a humbling experience, highlighting the importance of legacy and sustained professional impact in the built environment sector.

Stakeholders at the event expressed concern that weak institutional frameworks and the absence of structured cost control systems in many MDAs have contributed significantly to inflated project costs nationwide.

They warned that without deliberate reforms, Nigeria may continue to experience inefficiencies in public project delivery, undermining infrastructure development and economic growth.

The call for reform comes amid increasing pressure on government finances, with experts stressing that improved cost management practices could help optimise limited resources and enhance project outcomes.

Analysts believe that integrating quantity surveyors into the core decision-making processes of MDAs would not only curb excessive spending but also restore confidence in public procurement systems.

They further noted that strengthening professional oversight in construction projects is essential to addressing long-standing challenges in Nigeria’s infrastructure sector and ensuring sustainable development.

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This policy is part of the official guidelines for implementing the 2025 Appropriation Act. It aims to improve transparency, accountability, and traceability of public spending. By requiring GPS data, the government wants to ensure that projects are trackable and verifiable.

All MDAs are required to submit detailed monthly expenditure plans for the full year by July 31, 2025. These plans must be sent to both the Budget Office of the Federation and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Projects that cost ₦150 million or more must include accurate GPS coordinates. The Director-General of the Budget Office must sign off on each plan to ensure alignment with national priorities.

The GPS requirement is part of a broader strategy to reduce duplicated, abandoned, or untraceable projects. It will support independent verification and enhance the effectiveness of Nigeria’s Bottom-Up Cash Management Strategy.

This new policy signals the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, efficient project delivery, and accountable governance. At a time when public scrutiny of capital spending is growing, the use of GPS data adds an extra layer of confidence in how national resources are managed.

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Previously, all PPP projects regardless of scale required clearance from the Federal Executive Council (FEC), a process that often delayed execution and discouraged smaller-scale initiatives. Under the new directive, MDAs can now approve projects below specified financial limits, enabling faster and more flexible project delivery in line with ICRC guidelines.

The decision, announced following the Nigeria PPP Summit 2025, underscores the administration’s commitment to leveraging PPPs as a central tool in driving national development. President Tinubu had earlier described the ICRC as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s infrastructure transformation, pledging stronger support to expand private sector participation.

Director-General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, explained that under the revised framework, parastatals and agencies can independently approve PPP projects valued under ₦10 billion, while ministries can approve up to ₦20 billion. Only projects exceeding these thresholds or those requiring multi-ministerial coordination will continue to require FEC endorsement.

Crucially, all projects must be fully funded by the private sector without any financial guarantees or commitments from public funds. Each proposed project will still undergo ICRC review and must receive a compliance certificate before final approval by MDAs’ newly formed Project Approval Boards.

Dr. Ewalefoh described the new system as a departure from the previous “one-size-fits-all” approach, moving towards a more adaptable and impact-driven model. He noted that this reform would particularly benefit sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and housing by enabling smaller, high-impact projects like rural health centers, classroom blocks, student accommodations, and affordable housing to move forward with reduced bureaucratic hurdles.

He further emphasized that the policy aligns with broader public procurement and investment reforms under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to foster economic growth, create jobs, and improve capital inflows.

“By decentralizing approvals, we are unlocking new investment opportunities and ensuring faster project execution, which is critical for our economic realities today,” Dr. Ewalefoh stated.

The ICRC, he affirmed, will continue to oversee, guide, and regulate the PPP ecosystem, working closely with agencies such as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

Dr. Ewalefoh called on MDAs to leverage the newly approved thresholds and upcoming guidelines to deliver critical infrastructure projects more efficiently. He urged them to embrace PPPs as a vital tool for realizing President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and advancing national development objectives.

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Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), has addressed recent reports suggesting direct execution of payments for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) projects. Amidst uproar concerning a request from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for a N585 million payment to a private account, the AGF emphasized her office’s role in this process.

In a statement released by Bawa Mokwa, Director (Press) of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Madein clarified that her office does not directly process payments. While the AGF acknowledged receiving the Ministry’s request, she highlighted that her office did not execute the payment. Instead, the Ministry was advised on proper payment procedures aligned with established protocols.

Madein stressed that in such scenarios, payments should be handled by the concerned Ministries as self-accounting entities, advocating for direct transfers to verified bank accounts of beneficiaries rather than bulk payments to individual accounts under project titles.

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The controversy revolves around a request made by Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, to transfer N585 million to a private account linked to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as the project accountant for the Renewed Hope Grant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos, and Ogun States.

Edu defended the payment, citing due process and emphasizing its intention to aid vulnerable groups. Rasheed Zubair, Edu’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, reiterated the legality of Oniyelu Bridget’s role as the grant’s Project Accountant from the Department of Finance, dismissing allegations of misconduct against Edu as baseless.

Madein’s statement reiterated her commitment to transparency and accountability in public finance management, urging MDAs to adhere strictly to prescribed financial transaction protocols. She emphasized the need for due diligence in handling public funds, reinforcing the importance of following stipulated procedures for payments to ensure accountability and transparency.

Source: Nairametrics

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