The Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON) was established by Decree 91 of 1993 (now ICCON ACT, CAP I.12 LFN 2004), it is a professional regulatory body statutorily charged with the responsibility of regulating the teaching and professional practice of Chemistry profession in Nigeria. ICCON is under the Federal Ministry of Health.

Since 1946 when Nigeria’s first chemistry graduate, the late Professor Stephen Oluwole Awokoya bagged his B. Sc from the University of London, the country has produced generations of chemists for various sectors of the economy. But there was yet no government recognized (chartered) body to regulate the practice of chemists in Nigeria.

The agitation by Nigerian Chemists to get chartered can be traced back to the early 1980s. This clamour, which was mainly under the aegis of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), reached a climax in 1992 when the CSN, under the Presidency of a renowned Environmental Chemist, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo mandated one of its founding fathers and senior Fellows, Mr. Daniel Alifa Akoh to prepare a position paper to be presented to the Federal Government, outlining the role of chemists in Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

The decade – long campaign finally bore fruit in 1993 when Decree 91 establishing ICCON was signed into law by erstwhile military President, General Ibrahim Babangida. Subsequently, the Institute’s we Council was under the Chairmanship of the renowned Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo who was inaugurated in April 2001 by the then Minister of Health, Prof. A.B.C Nwosu while the first Registrar, Mrs. Gladys Eke was appointed in 2003.

Since inception, ICCON has had five Governing Councils and there substantive Registrars/CEOs. The 5th Governing Council which was inaugurated on the 1st July, 2021 by the then Minister of State for Health, Sen. Dr. Adeleke Olorunnibe Mamora is headed by Prof. Fanna Inna Abdulrahman who is the Chairman of Council and President of the Institute.
The Institute’s Office is currently located at Federal Secretariat Phase I, Abuja. The Secretariat is administered by Chemist Wilford Jwalshik the Registrar / CEO who oversees a team of professionals (chemists and non-chemists alike) that constitute the staff. 

ICCON is a full-fledged Professional Regulatory Body currently operating with five Departments and Three Zonal Offices. ICCON has so far registered over 150 corporate members who are chemical and allied companies and also inducted over 4,000 members from different spheres of chemistry practice, including the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a renowned chemist who was inducted into the Fellowship of the Institute on the 13th of May, 2008 at a colourful ceremony held at State House, Aso Villa, Abuja.

There are five categories of membership, namely:-

• Fellow
• Honourary Fellow
• Member
• Corporate Member
• Honourary Member
• Graduate Member

A person accorded status as a chemist by the council established by this Act shall be entitled to the use of the name and be registered as:

A Fellow if –

• He/she has been qualified as an associate member of the institute or has been qualified to be so registered for at least seven years and he satisfies the council that for a continuous period of ten years immediately preceding the application he has been in practice as a chemist or in partnership with other chemists; and
• He/she is otherwise considered by the council to be a fit person to be so registered;

A Member if –

• He/she has been registered as a chemist and has been in practice as a chemist for a period of at least two years immediately preceding the application; and
• He/she is otherwise considered by the council to be a fit person to be so registered.

An honorary fellow/member if-

• He/she is approved and admitted as such by the resolution of the council.

A member of the Institute is entitled to use the following designatory letters after his/her name according to the category of membership:

MICCON – Member of the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria

FICCON   – Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria

FICCON (H)   -Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria.

An intending member of the Institute should possess a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) in Chemistry or Chemistry – related discipline, e. g Biochemistry, Food Science and Technology, Science Laboratory Technology (Chemistry Option), Science Education (Chemistry Option), Chemical Engineering etc.

The modalities for obtaining registration forms, as well as the attendant fees, are as approved by the Governing Council from time to time. Current information in this regard is obtainable from the Institute’s Secretariat and its website.

The professional qualifying examination for admission into the Institute is based on syllabus
approved by the Council. Similarly, modalities for upgrading of membership category are determined by the Governing Council and may be reviewed from time to time.

Annual Licence are applicable to all categories of members, except the Honorary Fellows and
Honorary Members. The fees for each category of licence are determined by the Council and could be reviewed annually

Members of the Institute are required to renew their membership by satisfying the criteria set by the Governing Council. Such criteria include the payment of annual dues and attendance to the Institute’s Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) training programmes. The minimum frequency of attendance at the MCPD programmes required for continued validity of membership is determined by the Council from time to time.

ONLINE PAYMENT: Payment for licence fees or any form of subscription can be done electronically through the ICCON dedicated account. Payment can be made to the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON) TSA/CRF Account by logging on to www.remita.net, clicking on “pay a Fed. Govt. Agency”, choosing “Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria”, and stating the purpose of payment, to generate Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) number that can be taken to any bank to make payment. Payment can also be made through the ICCON website www.iccon.gov.ng clicking on remita from the menu bar and enter the payment details to generate the Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) number

This is one of the requirements for the continued validity of membership of the Institute; and is essentially meant to keep members abreast of current trends in the world of chemistry, as well as provide technical information aimed at professional career enhancement of members. The frequency of such programmes is as determined by the Governing Council.

(a) Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programmes
This is one of the requirements for the continued validity of membership of the Institute; and is essentially meant to keep members abreast of current trends in the world of chemistry, as well as provide technical information aimed at professional career enhancement of members. The frequency
of such programmes is as determined by the Governing Council.

(b) Access to Information
It is generally agreed that information is power. ICCON empowers its members through the provision of relevant knowledge which can come in the following forms:
(i) ICCON Publications. These include magazines, pamphlets, flyers etc. The magazine, “Chartered Chemist”, carries chemistry-related feature articles of societal interest as well as information on the activities and programmes of the Institute. The pamphlets, flyers etc give specialized information like
the Institute’s corporate profile, vision, mandates, MCPD literature, special lectures and other presentations etc. It is pertinent to note that most ICCON publications are availed to registered (up-to-date) members FREE!
(ii) ICCON Website. The Institute has upgraded its website to serve as an interface with the outside world. General information about ICCON can be accessed via the site, www.iccon.gov.ng. Members and non-members alike are required to do a “site registration” on their maiden visit to the website, in
order to have access to “public view” sections of the site. However, it is noteworthy that the ICCON website has “restricted” sections which can only be accessed by registered members upon confirmation of such members by the site administrator. Enquiries can also be made by sending an e-
mail to inquiry@iccon.gov.ng.

(c)Professional Recognition / Protection
As a body established by law, the statutory mandates of ICCON, in addition to regulating the professional practice of chemists, include the provision of professional “shield” for its members.
ICCON thus seeks to protect the interests of registered chemists in corporate organizations, in the public service as well as in private practice. This protection may be in terms of the welfare of chemical personnel in various forms of employment, career enhancement etc. The Institute also seeks
recognition for its members in the comity of professionals.
Members of the Institute enjoy the privilege of carrying ICCON appellations after their names [FICCON, MICCON, FICCON (H) and MICCON (H)] according to their category of membership; this makes for easy recognition among members as well as in distinguishing members from non-
members.
(d) Economic Empowerment, Capacity Building, Career Development & Consultancy
Part of the mandates of ICCON is the promotion of chemical-based Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) and self-reliant activities by the organization of seminars / workshops and trainings on skills acquisition programmes for chemists and non-chemists alike. This would contribute
immensely towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the targets of the Federal Government’s National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).
The Institute also organizes teach-the-teacher programmes in which chemistry teachers in particular (and other science teachers in general) are trained on modern, practical-oriented methods of imparting scientific knowledge to their wards. The ICCON capacity enhancement programme also
includes the training on Chemical Safety and Security as well as Cosmetic Formulation and Production. Furthermore, ICCON is gradually building up a network of corporate membership. Part of the aim of this partnership (i.e. apart from ensuring that chemistry-related operations in such corporate
organizations conform to professionally ethical standards), is to set up a job bank in liaison with the Human Capital Development Departments of the organizations concerned. This aims at providing
employment for professional chemists.
(e) Access to the Professional Community
Membership of ICCON cuts across chemists in different spheres of practice (the academia, industries, research institutes, public service, private entrepreneurship etc) nationwide. Hence, the Institute provides a forum for interaction with other chemists, either directly or remotely.
(f) Subsidized ICCON Services
Members of the Institute enjoy subsidized rates for ICCON products and / or services such as literature, workshop materials, ICCON publications, professional trainings, online facilities, consultancy services etc.
(g)Synergy with Other Bodies
ICCON synergizes with other regulatory bodies and institutions like the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), National Authority on Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions (NAC&BWC),
National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Environmental Standards, Regulations and Enforcement Agency (NESREA)
Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) etc. This implies a greater scope of outreach as well as enhanced access to information, which by extension is availed to ICCON membership where necessary.
(h) International Collaboration
ICCON collaborates with international organizations such as International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), American Chemical Society (ACS), and Royal Society for Chemistry (RSC). This is to expose members to
international best practice of chemistry and also equip them with knowledge and skills of modern equipment for research and analysis through training and exchange programmes.

(i) Comprehensive Review of Chemistry Curricula
The Institute has embarked on a comprehensive review of Chemistry curricula at the secondary and tertiary levels of the country’s education system. This is with a view to making the teaching and learning of chemistry more practical oriented and, hence, more responsive to the needs of the day
and at par with global trends in the practice of the profession. This initiative is ultimately aimed at unveiling chemists and other chemistry-related professionals as entrepreneurs with potentially vital roles in the real sector of the nation’s economy.