By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has announced plans to certify engineers who undergo its forensic investigation training programme, creating a pool of specialists equipped to investigate building collapses and other engineering failures across the country.
COREN Registrar, Engr. Prof. O.A.U. Uche, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during the opening of a three-day workshop on Engineering Failure and Forensic Investigation, organised by COREN in collaboration with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) and the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCIN).
According to him, the initiative is designed to identify the root causes of engineering failures, prevent future occurrences, and safeguard lives and property.
He explained that participants who successfully complete the training will be inducted into a new register of trained and certified forensic engineers, empowered by COREN to carry out regulatory and investigative functions within their respective disciplines and locations.
“These engineers will be recognised as forensic engineering experts after the training. They will form part of a national pool of specialists available to investigate engineering failures and recommend solutions that will help prevent future incidents,” he said.
Prof. Uche noted that forensic engineering is a dynamic field that often requires multidisciplinary collaboration, including legal expertise in cases with judicial implications.
“Please remain objective in your investigations. Rare cases may involve legal implications requiring collaboration with legal experts. There are also ethical considerations that must guide every forensic investigation,” he said.
He stressed that the programme goes beyond a routine workshop, as participants would acquire practical skills and tools needed to conduct forensic investigations whenever engineering failures occur.
“This is not just another training programme. We want to deepen forensic investigation in Nigeria so that we can determine the real causes of failures and take steps to prevent them. That is the essence of this initiative,” he added.
The COREN Registrar observed that engineering failures often have devastating consequences beyond damaged infrastructure.
“When structures fail or collapse, it is not only the infrastructure that is lost. Human lives, which cannot be quantified, are often affected,” he said.
He expressed concern over the growing trend of some developers sidelining qualified professionals during construction projects.
“The time has come to address situations where developers ignore certified practitioners and experts who should be responsible for overseeing construction activities,” he said.
While acknowledging that engineering structures can fail, Uche maintained that such failures could be significantly reduced through proper design, engagement of qualified professionals, and thorough investigations.
“We do not claim that engineering structures can never fail. Our responsibility is to ensure that failures are reduced to the barest minimum through professionalism, competence and continuous learning,” he said.
The Registrar further disclosed that COREN has identified 11 strategic engineering sectors for training and certification. These include oil and gas, mining, maritime, telecommunications, power, manufacturing, aviation and aerospace, construction, agro-allied, transportation, and biomedical engineering.
He said the certification programme would be implemented across the country’s six geopolitical zones, with centres located in Damaturu, Enugu, Kano, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt, while Lagos would serve as a special economic zone.
Prof. Uche also reminded practitioners that Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points remain a mandatory requirement for the renewal of annual practising licences.
“Engineers are expected to earn CPD points through approved training and certification programmes. This workshop is one of such programmes,” he said.
He explained that COREN’s role is to regulate engineering education, training and practice, while the actual training is conducted by qualified experts and resource persons drawn from the COREN register.
The Registrar also revealed that Nigeria recently made significant progress towards attaining full signatory status of the Washington Accord, an international agreement that facilitates global recognition of engineering qualifications.
“In Cape Town last week, Nigeria received approval for assessors to visit as part of the final process towards becoming a full Washington Accord signatory. This will ensure that engineering education and qualifications obtained in Nigeria are recognised globally,” he said.
“We want engineering training in Nigeria to be world-class so that our graduates can compete favourably anywhere in the world. We are proud that Nigeria is emerging as one of the engineering hubs of the 21st century.”
Speaking at the event, COREN President, Engr. Sadiq Abubakar, urged participants to uphold professionalism by combining technical skills, knowledge and integrity.
Represented by Engr. Felix Ebuzuoeme, a Council Member and member of the Training and Certification Committee, Abubakar said COREN remains committed to ensuring Nigerian engineers are globally competitive and professionally respected.
“As true professionals, you need three things: skill, knowledge and integrity. COREN is working to ensure that Nigerian engineers are recognised worldwide,” he said.
He encouraged participants to embrace continuous learning, adapt to emerging technologies and mentor younger professionals.
“Let us continue to learn, unlearn and relearn. Let us also mentor younger engineers and remain open to new knowledge. That is how we will become better professionals and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NBRRI, Engr. Prof. Samson Duna, said the institute is collaborating with COREN to build a cadre of engineers capable of detecting, analysing and preventing engineering failures.
Represented by Principal Research Officer, Juliana Tyoden, Duna said NBRRI has participated in several building collapse investigations and conducted extensive research on structural failures across Nigeria.
“With our expertise and experience, we will equip participants with the necessary skills to conduct forensic investigations, analyse failures and recommend appropriate solutions,” he said.
He added that participants are expected to gain practical knowledge of forensic investigation procedures, testing methods and failure analysis techniques.
The Council noted that the Abuja workshop is the second in the series, following an earlier edition held in Lagos.
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