On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the House of Representatives passed a bill for a second reading aimed at establishing the Chartered Institute of Human Resources Management, a significant move in the regulation of human resources practice in Nigeria. Sponsored by Hon. Zakaria Dauda Nyampa, the proposed establishment of this new chartered body comes despite the existing authority of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), which has been the statutory regulator for the profession since 2004.
The bill seeks to professionalize the fields of Human Resources and Strategic Management, with a focus on developing competent leaders across various sectors of the economy. Additionally, the institute is proposed to set clear standards by formulating policies and creating a framework that defines professional conduct and ethics within the human resources domain.
One of the core objectives of the new institute is to provide specialized professional training in human resources and strategic management. This initiative aims to equip HR practitioners with the necessary skills and knowledge to elevate the standards of practice in the field.
To maintain quality and professionalism, the bill includes provisions for the documentation of actions that could be deemed breaches of professional conduct and ethics. This regulatory oversight would allow the chartered institute to recommend appropriate sanctions, thus ensuring effective control over the profession.
The legislative move is expected to spark discussions about the future of human resource management in Nigeria and the role of various regulatory bodies in shaping the profession.
