The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria says engineering and technology programmes in Nigerian universities will now admit students based strictly on approved quotas, following endorsements from the National Universities Commission and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
The President of COREN, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, announced the development during a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the council’s 34th Engineering Assembly.
According to him, the policy is aimed at ensuring that universities admit only the number of students their facilities, laboratories, workshops, equipment and academic workforce can adequately support.
“We have secured the approval and endorsement of both the National Universities Commission and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to enforce admission quotas for all engineering and technology programmes in Nigerian universities,” Abubakar said.
He explained that the move places engineering alongside professions such as medicine, law and pharmacy, where admissions are regulated to maintain training standards.
“This will strengthen the quality of engineering education by ensuring students receive the practical training required to become competent professionals who can compete globally,” he added.
Abubakar described the approval as the outcome of years of advocacy by the engineering profession, noting that unrestricted admissions had placed significant pressure on facilities and weakened hands-on training in many institutions.
He disclosed that COREN is also working with the National Board for Technical Education to introduce similar admission controls for engineering programmes in polytechnics.
The COREN president further revealed that the council has reintroduced the indexing and oath-taking of engineering graduates, alongside a mandatory one-year Engineering Residency Programme for university and Higher National Diploma graduates before they proceed for the National Youth Service Corps.
According to him, the residency programme is designed to provide structured industrial experience that will better prepare graduates for professional practice.
Abubakar also said COREN has trained and certified 239 engineering infrastructure failure and forensic investigators to examine incidents such as building collapses, bridge failures and industrial accidents.
In addition, he said 839 engineering programme evaluators from academia and industry have been trained to strengthen accreditation and quality assurance across universities and polytechnics.
He noted that the council has intensified compliance inspections nationwide, expanded its regional offices, digitised its registration process and reactivated its disciplinary tribunal to strengthen engineering regulation.
“Whenever engineering infrastructure fails, our investigators will determine scientifically what caused the failure, identify those responsible and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents,” he said.
The 34th Engineering Assembly is themed “Advancing Public Safety in Nigeria Through Strategic Engineering Regulation, Enforcement and Tiered Sanctioning Regime,” with discussions expected to focus on improving engineering governance and reducing infrastructure failures across the country.
