Reps urge CPN to seek private partnerships, reduce reliance on govt funding

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has advised the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) to increase collaborations with both public entities and private organizations in order to bolster its operations and reduce reliance on government funding. Committee Chairman Fuad Laguda expressed these concerns during an oversight visit to the council's headquarters in Abuja, highlighting the potential constraints that limited funding could impose on the agency's ability to carry out its regulatory duties.

Laguda urged CPN's Registrar and CEO, Adebayo Adegbiji, to explore alternative revenue streams to support the council's activities. He emphasized that an excessive dependence on government funding would not be sufficient. The committee recognized the efforts made by Adegbiji since his assumption in December 2025, to enhance the council's reputation, promote global IT standards, and combat unqualified practitioners in Nigeria's ICT sector.

However, Laguda stressed that the council needed a sustainable funding strategy to match the scope of its mandate. Earlier, Adegbiji informed the committee that a previous government policy had excluded regulatory councils from government funding lists, leaving CPN in a challenging financial situation. The restoration of CPN's funding through the 2026 Appropriation Act under President Bola Tinubu's administration, had enabled the council to enhance its capacity to execute its statutory functions and engage more effectively with government institutions.

The committee instructed CPN to provide detailed records of its internally generated revenue, insurance coverage, and major expenses for further examination. Laguda assured the council that the committee would continue to monitor its activities via regular oversight visits and support efforts to improve its performance. Adegbiji also commended the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, for approving the creation of 10 additional National Occupational Standards for ICT under the National Skills Qualification Framework, aimed at broadening Nigeria's ICT skills pool.