By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives has moved to address Nigeria’s growing nutrition challenges and curb the activities of unqualified practitioners with the proposed establishment of the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria.
The bill, sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike John Okafor, passed second reading during Thursday’s plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Following the debate, the proposed legislation was referred to the House Committee on Food Security for further legislative consideration.
Leading the debate, Okafor said the absence of a legal framework regulating the nutrition profession had created gaps in standards, accountability and service delivery, contributing to poor nutrition outcomes across the country.
He described the bill as a response to Nigeria’s worsening malnutrition situation, noting that weak professional regulation had allowed unqualified individuals to provide nutrition-related services to the public.
“This Bill is not merely a piece of legislation; it is a necessary legislative response to a ticking time bomb of malnutrition and food insecurity that threatens our national development and the wellness of Nigerian citizens,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that the proposed council would be self-sustaining through professional fees and subscriptions, adding that it would not impose additional financial obligations on the Federal Government.
According to him, the council would operate in the same manner as other professional regulatory bodies, ensuring that practitioners meet required standards before being licensed to practise.
Addressing concerns over possible conflict with the proposed Dietitians Council Bill, Okafor clarified that the two professions serve different but complementary roles within the healthcare system.
He explained that while dietitians focus largely on clinical nutrition and managing diet-related conditions in healthcare facilities, nutritionists are involved in community nutrition, public health programmes, food policies, research and nutrition education.
Okafor raised concerns that the lack of legal protection for the title “Nutritionist” had exposed the profession to abuse and increased the risk of quackery.
“The title ‘Nutritionist’ is not legally protected in Nigeria. This has led to the ugly balkanisation of the profession, leaving it vulnerable to the invasion of quacks,” he said.
Under the proposed law, the council would be responsible for registering practitioners, licensing qualified nutritionists and assistants, accrediting training institutions, approving curricula and enforcing professional ethics through disciplinary mechanisms.
The lawmaker linked Nigeria’s persistent nutrition challenges to inadequate regulation, citing rising cases of child malnutrition, stunting and maternal anaemia despite interventions aimed at improving nutrition outcomes.
Reps move to tackle nutrition crisis, quackery with proposed regulatory council
