It is a source of great pleasure for graduates of engineering programs to be able to add the title “Engr.” to their names. However, there are additional steps one must take after graduating from a university in Nigeria to become a qualified engineer in Nigeria.
As a rule of thumb, an engineering degree takes five years to complete; however, a graduate cannot work in the field unless he has obtained a COREN certification.
If you live in Nigeria and consider yourself an engineer, you must join the Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN) and pass their exams to practice legally. In Nigeria, engineers are governed by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN).
It is the government agency licensing and accrediting engineers in Nigeria. When a person in Nigeria is accepted as a full member of COREN, they are considered high.
The COREN Organization
It was established by Decree 55 of 1970 and revised by Decree 27 of 1992 and is now known as the Engineers Act, CAP E11 of the 2004 Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In Nigeria, the practice of engineering is governed by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), a statutory agency established by the Federal Government and charged with regulating the profession.
The decrees gave the Council the power to set standards for and oversee engineering education and practice in Nigeria. They also gave the Council the duty to check the registration of all engineers, engineering technologists, engineering technicians, engineering artisans, and consulting businesses in the country.
Functions of COREN
As an organization set up by law, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria has many responsibilities. Here are the four main functions that COREN covers:
- Registration of five cadres of engineering fields seeking to practice in Nigeria: Engineering artisans, Engineering technologists, Engineering Technicians, Engineers, and Engineering Companies.
- It serves 65 engineering specializations, several of which are more commonplace than other occupations.
- It accredits engineering programs at universities, polytechnics, institutes of technology, and technical institutions in Nigeria.
- It organizes and oversees postgraduate practical training for new engineers.
Let’s look at what it takes to become a member of COREN as a modern-day Nigerian.
COREN Registration Requirements
COREN handles two types of registration: engineering personnel and consulting firms that want to practice in Nigeria’s engineering industry. But you must meet some requirements before joining the registered personnel or registering your consulting firm.
COREN Member Registration Requirements
To register as COREN members, engineers must meet the following requirements:
- To be eligible, interested engineers must have completed a minimum of four years of postgraduate study.
- It would be best if you worked under the supervision of a senior registered engineer.
- Membership in COREN requires an online application.
- Everyone who applies must have a valid registration with either the NAEC, NATE, NSE, or NISET.
- Transcripts must be sent by mail, email, or in person for all Nigerian applicants.
- Each applicant must submit two separate proposals. This will occur online.
- The required registration will be paid through a web service or a financial institution.
- All essential papers and documentation must be completed and submitted online.
- Engineers interested in joining COREN must provide a valid email address, phone number, and address.
COREN Consulting Firm Registration Requirements
To register with COREN, an engineering consulting firm must meet the following requirements:
- The company’s owner must have an engineering license, and the business must have a valid registration certificate.
- The company must have a CAC registration and an incorporation Certificate, and at least two must be licensed engineers who are updated on their practice fees.
- A stakeholder with at least 55% of the company’s shares must be a registered engineer, and the business must have a Certificate of Incorporation.
- To register your business, your company must give a detailed report on all engineering projects it has designed, studied, or supervised in the past five years.
- After registering with COREN, you’ll have three years to prove that you can handle complex projects.
- A letter of recommendation from a reputable COREN member is required.
- Your company’s membership will need to be renewed every five years, so plan.
- Foreign expert can only establish their consulting firm if they collaborate with a registered Nigerian engineer.
For more on the requirements for COREN registration of personnel and firms, visit the COREN official website or state offices near you.
Procedure for COREN Registration
For engineering personnel registration, COREN no longer accepts paper applications; all applications must now be sent online. Providing false information can result in immediate disqualification, so please be careful. Please be aware that the application and processing charges are non-refundable.
Listed below are the steps required to register with COREN:
- Before beginning the online application form, you must obtain the Proposer and Work Experience Forms at www.coren.gov.ng/download. These forms are needed throughout the registration process and must be submitted as part of the application.
- Go to www.portal.coren.gov.ng to register.
- Fill up and submit all of the required basic details
- Choose the category that best relates to you. After you fill out the required fields and click the Register button, a window will appear asking you to confirm your payment information. After reviewing and approving your payment information, click the Pay button to be sent to the Remita payment portal.
- You may use your debit card to make a payment online using the Remita Payment Gateway, or you can take the Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) number printed on the website and take it with you to any of the supported banks.
- To proceed with your registration, please click the Login button. When prompted for a login type, choose “Registered Applicant.”
- After logging in, choose the Application menu item to bring up the necessary fields for your application.
- After that, fill in the fields labeled “Basic,” “Contact,” and “Other Information” under the Profile Info tab.
- To fill up your profile, please go to the Education, Work Experience, Engineering Organization Membership, and Non-Nigerian Information sections (For Non-Nigerian only).
- To submit the necessary paperwork, choose the “Documents” option. The maximum size for a single upload is 500 kilobytes.
- When you’re ready to submit your application, go to the Request page and choose Application Approval. Then, submit your application by clicking “Request Application Approval.”
Cost of COREN Registration
There are significant financial requirements required for COREN registration and membership.
This is because prospective engineers must participate in many activities, such as taking exams, attending seminars, registering for membership, getting inducted, and so on. These are all necessary steps that must be taken to become a registered professional engineer in Nigeria, and each one comes at a cost.
The approximate cost of registering with COREN is ₦200,000. This payment covers the following actions necessary to become a registered COREN member:
| COREN Registration | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration for the exam | ₦20,550 |
| National Workshop | ₦20,000 |
| Local Workshop | ₦25,000 |
| Cost of registering as a COREN Member | ₦51,300 |
| Cost of COREN Induction | ₦53000 |
NOTE: The costs listed here are subject to change anytime, so ensure you check the COREN official pricing page regularly.
Also, the cost for COREN induction may vary in Nigeria’s different states.
Importance of COREN Registration in Nigeria
Registration with COREN is essential in Nigeria. Here are some critical reasons Nigerian engineers need to join COREN.
- It enables engineers to complete government contracts and projects.
- It helps establish that an engineer is appropriately registered and permitted to practice in Nigeria.
- It also confirms the authenticity of the engineering certifications of engineers under the organization.
- COREN looks out for its members’ best interests and works to further their collective and individual goals.
Conclusion
A degree in engineering does not automatically provide membership in COREN. Becoming a member of COREN is now mandatory if you wish to call yourself an engineer in Nigeria. Engineers who want to work on government projects or contracts or start their engineering firm should register with COREN as soon as possible.
You are considered a professional engineer in Nigeria upon acceptance into this organization. This gives you authority and security whenever you and your company are hired to advance a project during your career.
Read Also: The Best 20 Engineering Courses In Nigeria to Study In Universities
