By Aaron Ossai
The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has urged the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) to strengthen partnerships with government agencies and private-sector organisations to improve its operations and address funding challenges.
The committee’s chairman, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda, gave the advice on Wednesday during an oversight visit to the council’s headquarters in Abuja, stressing that reliance on government funding alone was insufficient to meet its expanding responsibilities.
Laguda acknowledged the efforts of the Registrar and Chief Executive of CPN, Adebayo Adegbiji, since assuming office in December 2025, particularly in improving the council’s visibility, promoting global information technology standards and combating quackery in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
However, he expressed concern over the limited financial resources available to the council despite the breadth of its regulatory mandate.
“You have to go into more synergy and private partnerships. Depending solely on government funding will not be enough,” he said.
The committee advised the council to explore legitimate alternative funding sources while strengthening collaboration with relevant public institutions and private organisations to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
It also requested detailed records of the council’s internally generated revenue, insurance coverage and major expenditures for submission to the committee’s secretariat.
Laguda assured the council that the committee would sustain its oversight activities and provide the necessary support to improve its performance.
Earlier, Adegbiji explained that a previous government policy had excluded regulatory councils from agencies eligible for government funding, creating significant financial difficulties for the CPN.
He said the situation changed after President Bola Tinubu restored the council’s funding through the 2026 Appropriation Act.
According to him, the restoration of funding has increased the council’s capacity to carry out its statutory responsibilities, while its engagement with government institutions has expanded.
Adegbiji disclosed that the CPN was collaborating with several agencies on technology-related aspects of their operations and programmes.
The agencies include the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Bureau of Public Procurement, Nigerian Communications Commission, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, National Board for Technical Education, Office of the National Security Adviser and National Information Technology Development Agency.
The registrar also commended the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, for approving the development of 10 additional National Occupational Standards for ICT under the National Skills Qualification Framework.
He said the approval would expand the range of ICT skills available to Nigerians under the administration’s National Skills Qualification initiative, providing more opportunities for professional development and skills acquisition.
The oversight visit formed part of the committee’s efforts to assess the council’s performance, review its financial position and identify ways to strengthen its regulatory effectiveness in Nigeria’s evolving technology sector.
