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 regulatory body to regulate the practice of chemists in Nigeria.

The agitation by Nigerian chemists to get certification 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 first Governing Council was elected during the Annual International Conference of the CSN in Warri, Delta State in 1995. This pioneer Council was under the Chairmanship of the renowned Professor of analytical and environmental chemistry, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo.

Though established in 1993, ICCON could not take off until 2003 when its first substantive Registrar, Mrs. Gladys Eke was appointed. This was because the military regime of General Sani Abacha suspended the operations of all Boards / Governing Councils of all Federal parastatals in the country. The first Governing Council that was elected in 1995 was only inaugurated in April 2001, after the return to civil rule in Nigeria, under the Olusegun Obasanjo regime. The inauguration was performed by the then Minister of Health, Prof. A.B.C Nwosu.

Sequel to the dissolution of all Boards of Federal parastatals in 2004, ICCON’s second Governing Council headed by Mr. Harry Okolo was inaugurated on September 5, 2006. A 3^rd Governing Council, inaugurated on January 29, 2010, by the then Minister of Health, late Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin was led by Prof. Abdullahi A. Zuru. This third Council appointed the Institute’s second substantive Registrar, Prince Jay O. Oghifo who assumed office on 2^nd August, 2010 following the retirement of Mrs. Eke in 2009.

The Institute has so far admitted into its’ membership over 3,000 professionals from different spheres of chemistry practice, including the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a renowned chemist who was admitted into the Fellowship of the Institute on the 13^th of May, 2008 at a colourful ceremony held at State House, Also Villa Abuja, Nigeria.

The Institute’s Corporate Headquarters is currently located at phase 1 Federal Secretariat Abuja, Nigeria. The Secretariat is administered by a Registrar / CEO who oversees a team of professionals (chemists and non-chemists) that constitute the staff.

The Governing Council is the apex decision–making organ of the Institute and is headed by a Chairman who is also the President of the Institute.

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 from time to time. Similarly, modalities for upgrading of membership category are determined by the Governing Council and may be reviewed from time to time. ( STATE THE EXACT PERIOD OF EXAMINATION)

Annual Dues are applicable to all categories of members, except the Honorary Fellows. The dues for each category of membership are determined by the Council and are renewable annually. (THE AMOUNT OF ANNUAL DUES)

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 dues or any form of payment can be done using REMITA platform on the website.

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.

• ICCON provides its corporate members with a forum for exchanging and implementing ideas and values to professional chemists and their strategic importance to the chemical industry.
• ICCON provides its corporate members with a reliable and objective method for evaluating chemists and technicians through ICCON’s certification programme.
• A 10% discount on license renewal fees for any corporate member.
• corporate members are given an opportunity to fund and name an ICCON event.
• corporate members are given a 25% discount for advertisements on ICCON’s workshops, conference materials, and websites.

This is a magazine that carries chemistry related feature articles of societal interest as well as information on the activities and programmes of the Institute.

(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 data.chemist@iccon.gov.ng.