The Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) says it will intensify its clampdown on ‘quack’ practitioners in the nation’s information technology (IT) industry.
CPN, the body responsible for registration and monitoring of IT practitioners in Nigeria says it is planning enforcement actions against ‘quack’ IT industry players because the “monumental loss of revenue” by Nigerians could have been put to better use in the economy.
Professor Charles Uwadia , President and Chairman in Council of CPN, who disclosed this at a media briefing , says ICT professionals who are practicing without registering with the Council would be considered as quacks and will be penalized according to the laws of the land.

Olorogun James Emadoye, former President of ISPON (left); Kole Jagun, Vice-President/Vice Chairman-in-Council, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) and Professor Charles Uwadia, President/Chairman-in-Council, CPN at the media briefing held in Lagos.
He explains that the Council’s desire is to have as many registered professionals as possible, while noting also that there are a lot of benefits that would be derived from being a registered member of the Council.
‘’CPN is empowered by law to determine the standards of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become members of the computing profession and improve those standards from time to time as circumstances may permit ‘’, the watchdog chief says while addressing journalist and other IT stakeholders in Lagos
‘’It is time the government wakes up. IT is open for everybody in the information highway, but it must be regulated accordingly. If people are registered accordingly, cyber crime will reduce to the barest minimum and we will make money for the government.”
On his part, Mr Allwell C. Achumba Registrar/Secretary to Council at CPN says that “CPN was established through Act No 49 of 1993. The Act was passed into law on 10th of June and gazetted on 9th of August, last year.
“It is a corporate entity that is charged with the regulation, control and supervision of the computing profession and practice in Nigeria in line with Section 1 (2) of the Act . The Council is under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education, with the National Assembly having/ performing oversight functions over it.’’
The Act 49 of 1993 referred to above make it mandatory for all persons and organization seeking to engage or engaged in IT training/Education, sales and or use of computing facilities and the provision of professional services in computational or related computational machinery in Nigeria to be registered by the council and licensed to carry out such activities, he explains.

According to him ‘’Since Information Technology is the fulcrum of any thriving economy which cannot be ignored by the players in that economy, council has chosen to focus on this invaluable tool that will propel our economy and prepare our industries for global competitiveness
Also at the event Mr Kole Jagun, Vice President/ Vice Chairman in Council announced the forthcoming 2019 Information Technology Assembly to be hosted in Abuja, the nation seat of power.
The IT Professional Assembly is one of the flagships of council activities, he says noting that the programme over the years has availed individuals and cooperate organizations that are involved in IT practice, and the general public the much-needed education on the existence of Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria), the apex IT regulatory body in Nigeria.
The 2019 IT Professionals Assembly with the theme ‘’ Digital Infrastructure: Defining the Next Step’’ will hold between Wednesday 26th –Thursday 27th June, 2019 in Abuja.