Association of professional bodies in Nigeria (APBN) is the umbrella body of recognized professional institutions, and associations promoting a new era of cooperation among professionals in Nigeria.
APBN was given official Federal Government recognition as the third leg of the tripod of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in January 1992.
Some of these institutions are;
- 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 Manager.
- Nigeria 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.
- Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
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
- Nigerian Institute for quantity surveyors(NIQS)
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 the United Kingdom. Their purpose is to produce world-class surveyors and regulate and continue to enhance the standards of the profession and then provide quality service to their clients.
- 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.
- National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM)
The association was formed in 1938 and registered in 1943. It is a professional trade union organization for nurses and midwives. It was established to bring together and organize all nurses and midwives in the country, so long as they have been licensed to practice the profession.
- The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
The Nigerian Bar Association is the umbrella body for all law practitioners in the country. It is composed of all lawyers that are called to the 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”.
Various functions such as promoting the rule of law, promoting the highest standard of professional code uctthe in the profession, promote networking opportunities among the members of the association.
- Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSC)
This is a body established by several engineering professionals in Nigeria. It is like a body that houses all the engineers in Nigeria.
- 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.
ICAN was established by a parliament act in September 1965 inclusive of all the existing accounting associations at that time which helped to make it a large body which was in charge of accounting practices in Nigeria.
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Just as it was stated earlier that for you to be recognized in Nigeria as an accountant, you have to join a professional body like ICAN which entails a lot of requirements, which are paying a registration fee, seating for ICAN exams, passing the exams and getting inducted as a Chartered Accountant of Nigeria.
There are more bodies and institutions associated with various fields of human endeavor and they are required by aspiring professionals to get registered for national recognition.