The House of Representatives has taken steps to strengthen the regulation of Nigeria’s nutrition profession by advancing a bill seeking to establish the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria and for Related Matters,” scaled second reading during Thursday’s plenary and was subsequently referred to the relevant House committee for further legislative consideration.
Sponsored by Chike Okafor (APC, Imo), the bill seeks to create a statutory regulatory body responsible for overseeing the practice of nutrition in Nigeria through the registration, licensing and regulation of practitioners.
If enacted, the legislation would establish standards for professional practice, ensuring that only qualified and ethically certified nutritionists are permitted to practise. It also aims to improve accountability in the sector, protect public health and maximise the impact of investments in nutrition programmes across the country.
A key provision of the bill is the establishment of a national register for nutritionists and nutrition assistants, which would serve as the official database of licensed professionals authorised to practise in Nigeria.
