HURIWA asks National Assembly to withdraw nutritionists' council bill
- HURIWA wants the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria Bill, 2025 withdrawn, saying it could restrict traditional food knowledge.
- The group questioned penalties of up to ₦5m or five years in prison under sections of the bill.
- It asked for wider consultation with farmers, nutrition experts and traditional knowledge holders before any new law.
A civil society group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has asked the National Assembly to withdraw the proposed Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria Bill, 2025, saying it could expose indigenous food knowledge to unnecessary legal restrictions.
HURIWA made the call in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, on October 23. The group said it backed the position of the Centre for African Policy Research and Advisory (CAfPRA), which has opposed the bill.
The bill is sponsored by Hon. Chike John Okafor, who represents Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
What the group is worried about
HURIWA said the bill, as currently written, could set up a highly centralised regulator without enough protection for Nigeria's local foods and community-based nutritional knowledge.
The group said Nigerian families and farming communities have long passed down knowledge of local foods, seasonal diets, fermentation, food preservation, medicinal plants and breastfeeding, and that the bill does not clearly separate formal nutrition services from ordinary family guidance.
It singled out Sections 23, 27, 28 and 30, which set penalties for offences such as unapproved training, unregistered practice and employing unregistered persons. According to HURIWA, Section 23 provides for a fine of up to ₦5m or up to five years in prison, or both, in some cases.
The group said the absence of a clear definition of nutrition practice, and of exemptions for traditional and family-based knowledge, could leave people unsure whether their activities fall under the law.
HURIWA stressed that it is not against professional standards, scientific research or the regulation of qualified nutrition practitioners. It also said traditional practices should not be treated as automatically valid, and that harmful practices and false health claims should still be covered by existing laws.
The group raised further questions about provisions allowing the proposed council to work with foreign bodies, recognise foreign qualifications and receive grants and donations. It asked for transparent disclosure of funding sources and safeguards against conflicts of interest, while noting that foreign funding or cooperation should not by itself be treated as wrongdoing.
It also questioned whether a new statutory council, with a governing board, registrar, offices, staff, accreditation systems and registration fees, is necessary or financially sustainable.
What happens next
HURIWA wants the bill withdrawn and the consultations behind its drafting made public. It also wants farmers and traditional knowledge holders to have a real seat in any future regulatory framework, and is urging Okafor and the relevant legislative committee to reconsider the proposal.
Whether the National Assembly acts on the call is not yet clear from the sources.
