IDN urges National Assembly to scrap nutritionists registration bill
IDN urges National Assembly to withdraw consideration of the proposed Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria Bill (HB 2659), warning it could promote quackery and weaken professional standards in the nutrition and dietetics field. Speaking with journalists at the National Assembly on Monday, IDN National President Tajudeen Ahmed argued the bill would create confusion among regulatory bodies and undermine efforts to ensure only qualified professionals practice.
The institute instead advocates completing the legislative process for the Dietitians Council of Nigeria Bill (HB 515), which the House of Representatives passed in May 2023 and the Senate passed in October 2025, awaiting presidential assent. Ahmed contends HB 2659 duplicates HB 515's comprehensive framework covering professional education, registration, ethics, public health nutrition, community practice, research, policy collaboration, food systems, public education and clinical dietetic practice.
Establishing two competing regulatory councils would create institutional conflict, avoidable expenditure, and weaken patient protection, according to IDN. The group warns this uncertainty particularly affects integrated Nutrition and Dietetics programmes at Nigerian universities, polytechnics and health sciences colleges.
Nutrition professionals play vital roles in preventing and managing diseases, improving maternal and child health, and addressing Nigeria's persistent malnutrition challenge—which includes both undernutrition and diet-related diseases like obesity. Their work spans clinical dietetics in hospitals to public health nutrition policy and community education.
Will lawmakers prioritize consolidating regulation under one statutory council as IDN recommends, or risk creating parallel authorities that could confuse the profession and public alike?