How to Become a Member of COREN in Nigeria 2024

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.

Are you an engineer seeking information on becoming a COREN member? In this article, we’ll look at what engineers in Nigeria need to do to become members of COREN this year.

The COREN Organization

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The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) is a constitutional body that regulates the training and practice of engineering in Nigeria.

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

Female colleagues collaborating with a surface in a board

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 Personnel 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

man and woman looking at a laptop

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Go to www.portal.coren.gov.ng to register.
  3. Fill up and submit all of the required basic details
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. To proceed with your registration, please click the Login button. When prompted for a login type, choose “Registered Applicant.”
  7. After logging in, choose the Application menu item to bring up the necessary fields for your application.
  8. After that, fill in the fields labeled “Basic,” “Contact,” and “Other Information” under the Profile Info tab.
  9. To fill up your profile, please go to the Education, Work Experience, Engineering Organization Membership, and Non-Nigerian Information sections (For Non-Nigerian only).
  10. To submit the necessary paperwork, choose the “Documents” option. The maximum size for a single upload is 500 kilobytes.
  11. 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

Naira banknotes

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 RegistrationAmount
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

Woman sitting on the bed holding her phone

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.


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44 thoughts on “How to Become a Member of COREN in Nigeria 2024”

  1. Hi Blessing.
    After corporate membership with NSE, I am currently applying for coren. On the portal with coren , I don’t see where I can upload work experience report. Is there something I’m missing. Will it be like NSE where a workshop is scheduled before a link to where I can send my report is given? Thanks in anticipation.

    Reply
    • Yes, you are correct. You will need to attend a workshop before you can upload your work experience report to COREN. The workshop will provide you with information on the requirements for registration as a registered engineer or engineering technologist, and it will also give you the opportunity to submit your work experience report.

      The workshop schedule is usually published on the COREN website a few weeks before the workshop date. You can check the website regularly for updates.

      The following are the steps on how to upload your work experience report to COREN after attending the workshop:

      1. Go to the COREN website and log in to your account.
      2. Click on the “My Applications” tab.
      3. Click on the “Work Experience Report” link.
      4. Upload your work experience report in PDF format.
      5. Click on the “Submit” button.

      Your work experience report will be reviewed by COREN and you will be notified of the outcome of your application.

      I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

      Reply
  2. Hello, Please when is the next COREN exam for this year 2023?
    For Nigerian Engineer abroad who intends to do COREN but have problem of getting the proposers, is there anyway you can be of help?

    Reply
  3. With great honour, I want to inquire if holder of (ANTC) fabrication and weld, that’s Advance National Technical Certificate can apply for coren registration.

    Reply
    • Yes, a holder of the Advance National Technical Certificate (ANTC) can register with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). To register with COREN, an ANTC holder must have at least 2 years of relevant work experience. The title of a registered ANTC holder is “Engineer Technologist”.

      Reply
  4. Pls can someone who study automobile engineering in education which is Bed in automobile engineering apply for coren

    Reply
    • No, a Bachelor of Education in Automobile Engineering is not a recognized engineering degree by COREN. To be eligible to apply for COREN registration, you must have a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) degree in Automobile Engineering from a university or polytechnic accredited by COREN.

      The Bachelor of Education in Automobile Engineering is a teaching degree that prepares graduates to teach automobile engineering at the secondary school level. It does not cover the same technical and theoretical content as a B.Eng. degree in Automobile Engineering, and it does not qualify graduates to practice engineering in Nigeria.

      If you have a Bachelor of Education in Automobile Engineering and you want to become a professional engineer, you will need to complete a B.Eng. degree in Automobile Engineering from a COREN-accredited institution. You can also earn a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree in Automobile Engineering, which will also qualify you to apply for COREN registration.

      Reply
  5. Hello, I have HND in civil engineering and am not yet a member of either NATE, NSE and so on. Is it possible I apply for COREN? If yes, will that make me a qualified engineer on the field? Please I need your response. Thanks

    Reply
    • Yes, you can apply for COREN with an HND in Civil Engineering. However, you will need to have a COREN-accredited Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in the same field of engineering. You will also need to have two years of post-PGD experience.

      If you meet these requirements, COREN will register you as an Engineer Technologist. This means that you will be qualified to work as a civil engineer in Nigeria, but you will not be able to use the title “Engineer”.

      To become a fully registered Engineer, you will need to have a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree from a COREN-accredited university. You will also need to have two years of post-BEng experience.

      Once you have met these requirements, COREN will register you as a Professional Engineer. This means that you will be able to use the title “Engineer” and you will be fully qualified to practice engineering in Nigeria.

      Reply
  6. Hello Blessing.
    Pls I need some clarification, I’ve HND dated from 2019, can I apply for a coren technologist? Or is it a must to posses a PGD before been eligible for application.

    Reply
    • Yes, you can apply for COREN Technologist with your HND dated 2019. You do not need to have a PGD before you can apply.

      The requirements for registration as an Engineering Technologist (Engn. Tech) with COREN are:

      1. An HND Graduate or it’s equivalent after obtaining a professional experience of 3 years minimum.

      2. Submission of application through COREN online Registration Portal.

      3. Certified copies of Engineering Qualifications Certificates.

      4. NYSC Certificate.

      5. Evidence of earning of 6 Continuous Professional Development points.
      6. Professional Competence as contained in the certificate of experience sheet as obtained from COREN website.

      So, as long as you have your HND certificate and have at least 3 years of relevant work experience, you can apply for COREN Technologist registration.

      Reply
    • With great honour, I want to inquire if holder of (ANTC) Advance National Technical Certificate can register with coren and what title will that person answer?

      Reply
      • Yes, a holder of the Advance National Technical Certificate (ANTC) can register with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

        To register with COREN, an ANTC holder must have at least 2 years of relevant work experience.

        The title of a registered ANTC holder is “Engineer Technologist”.

        Reply
  7. Hello
    I am an HND holder, I have NATE, please I want to register for Engr. Technologist, please can B.Sc holder ( Engineer) sign for my proposer???
    Also can I proceed with my application. Thanks

    Reply
    • Yes, a B.Sc holder (Engineer) can sign for your proposer. The COREN guidelines for registration as an Engineering Technologist state that the proposer must be a “COREN registered Engineer or Technologist with at least 10 years post qualification experience.” A B.Sc holder (Engineer) would meet these requirements.

      You can proceed with your application as long as you have all the required documents, including a proposer’s letter signed by a COREN registered Engineer or Technologist.

      COREN will review your application and contact you if there are any outstanding issues. If your application is approved, you will be issued a COREN registration certificate.

      I hope this helps!

      Reply
    • Here are the scheduled dates for the COREN Professional Examination in 2023:

      1. Section A: February 28th, March 1st, March 2nd, March 3rd

      2. Section B: March 4th, March 5th, March 6th, March 7th

      Reply
  8. I have registered with NATE. Though I have a Bsc. Mechanical Engineering. If I applied for COREN through NATE certificate, which type of certificate will I be awarded? Engr. or Engn

    Reply
    • If you have a B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering degree and are registered with NATE, you will be awarded an Engineering Technologist (Engn.) certificate by COREN. This is because NATE is a professional organization for engineering technologists, and its certification is recognized by COREN.

      Reply
  9. I have OND, Trade Test Certificate but do not belong to any professional body as NAEC and co so can I go on to register on COREN to become a license professional

    Reply
    • Yes, you can register with COREN to become a licensed professional even if you do not belong to any professional body such as NAEC. However, you will need to meet the following requirements:

      1. You must have a National Diploma (ND) or Higher National Diploma (HND) in a relevant engineering discipline.

      2. You must have a Trade Test Certificate in a relevant engineering discipline.

      3. You must have at least 3 years of relevant work experience.

      4. You must pass the COREN registration examination.

      Reply
  10. I neither have NAEC, NATE, NSE, nor NISET. Can i still apply ?
    Also what payment type should i click ? Personnel Application Fee or Personnel Full Registration Fee? What’s the difference by the way?

    Reply
      • I have B.Tech in electrical electronic education and I did Post graduate diploma in engineering. Can I apply for COREN or Any engineering body ?

        Reply
        • Yes, you can apply for COREN (Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria) with your B.Tech in Electrical Electronic Education and Post Graduate Diploma in Engineering.

          According to the COREN, you are eligible to register as an Engineer if you have:

          1. A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from a recognized university or institution.

          2. A Post Graduate Diploma in Engineering from a recognized university or institution.

          3. At least four (4) years of post-qualification experience in engineering practice.

          Reply
  11. What time of the day is your Abuja office opens to would be registered engineers? I am NSE registered for more than ten years, how do I connect? How long will it take to be through? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hello Engr Edward,

      Business hours start at 8 am.

      You will be done with the registration process as soon as possible.

      Reply

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