Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), has emerged as a strategic national platform in Nigeria’s quest for international recognition of polytechnic engineering qualifications.
The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) conducted a landmark Outcome-Based Education (OBE) accreditation of its Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes.
The accreditation exercise, which focused on Mechanical Engineering Technology and Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology, forms part of COREN’s ongoing efforts to align Nigeria’s engineering technology education with global standards under the Sydney and Dublin Accords of the International Engineering Alliance.
Speaking at the opening of the assessment, the COREN team lead, Prof. Abdulkarim Nasir, explained that Outcome-Based Education provides a robust framework for aligning curriculum design, teaching and learning processes, assessment methods, facilities and industry engagement with clearly defined learning outcomes and operational competencies.
According to him, the approach ensures that graduates of National Diploma (ND) and HND programmes are demonstrably prepared for professional practice as engineering technologists and technicians in line with international benchmarks.
He noted that Nigeria recorded a major milestone in June 2023 with its admission into the Washington Accord as a professional signatory for engineering degree programmes, adding that COREN has since intensified efforts to extend similar global recognition to engineering technology and technician qualifications through the Sydney and Dublin Accords.
“This assessment is a strategic step towards positioning Nigerian HND and ND engineering programmes within the global engineering education architecture, thereby advancing graduate mobility, employability and professional standing,” the COREN official said.
Prof. Nasir stressed that the visitation was not intended as a fault-finding or punitive exercise, but a peer-review process anchored on partnership, continuous improvement and quality assurance.
The assessors, he said, were distinguished professors and industry experts with deep experience in OBE implementation and accreditation, mandated to objectively evaluate the programmes, identify strengths and highlight areas for improvement in line with international best practices.
During the exercise, the accreditation panel inspected laboratories, workshops, libraries, health and sports facilities, reviewed academic records, staff qualifications and student coursework, and interacted with academic staff, technical personnel and students.
At the exit briefing, the panel commended YABATECH for blazing the trail as one of the first polytechnic institutions to undergo OBE-based accreditation towards the Sydney Accord.
The team praised the institution’s adequate physical facilities, qualified manpower, favourable staff–student ratio, stable power supply supported by solar backup systems, and strong industry feedback on the quality and performance of its graduates.
The panel also expressed satisfaction with the academic standards of students interviewed during the exercise.
The COREN team also reiterated the statutory position that running engineering technology programmes without valid accreditation, or with expired approval, contravenes the Engineers (Registration, etc.) Act. Graduates of unaccredited programmes, the team warned, are not eligible for professional registration regardless of subsequent accreditation outcomes.
In his response, the Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr Engr. Ibraheem Abdul, described the accreditation as both a national and international assignment with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s technical manpower development.
He thanked COREN and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for the rigorous but constructive assessment.
Dr Abdul reaffirmed the college’s commitment to full compliance with OBE requirements and international best practices, assuring that management had already commenced staff capacity building, licence compliance enforcement and facilities upgrade. He disclosed that the college had secured intervention funds for laboratory and workshop equipment upgrades to further strengthen its engineering programmes.
He also pledged that YABATECH would sponsor its academic staff in large numbers for OBE training to ensure sustained alignment with global standards, noting that the exercise would ultimately enhance graduate employability and mobility across international jurisdictions.
The accreditation exercise featured the participation of international observers, including representatives of the Board of Engineers, Malaysia and the Engineering Council of South Africa, who joined virtually, underscoring the global significance of the assessment.
