Radiographers Reject Bill Allegedly Seeking to Undermine Profession in Nigeria

The Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN) has strongly opposed a proposed legislation before the National Assembly, warning that it could significantly weaken the profession of radiography and transfer its core regulatory responsibilities to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
Speaking at a press conference held on Saturday at the Kano NUJ Press Centre, the President of the association, Dr. Musa Dembele, described the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026 (HB 2695) as a direct threat to the existence of radiography as an independent healthcare profession in Nigeria.
According to him, the bill is far from being a reform initiative, but rather a deliberate attempt to strip radiographers of their professional identity and statutory authority.
“The Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026 (HB 2695) is not a reform but a targeted, calculated, and existential assault on the profession of radiography,” Dembele said.
He further alleged that the bill seeks to impose what he called a “jurisdictional override” capable of dismantling the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN), which has regulated the profession for decades.
Describing the move as a grave threat, Dembele said the legislation amounts to an attempt to erase a profession that has contributed to Nigeria’s healthcare system for over 50 years.
He specifically pointed to Section 8(1) of the bill, which he said gives the MDCN exclusive authority over areas traditionally handled by the Radiographers Registration Board.
“This is a legislative execution of a profession that has served Nigeria for over 50 years,” he stated.
The association also accused the proposed law of trying to redefine radiology in a way that could legally eliminate radiography as a distinct scientific and professional discipline.
According to ARN, the bill seeks to place radiographers under the disciplinary control of a council largely made up of individuals who do not possess expertise in radiographic science.
“The bill seeks to legally erase radiography as an independent profession and subjugate radiographers to the disciplinary authority of a council composed of individuals with no expertise in radiographic science,” the association said.
On the financial implications of the legislation, the association raised concerns over provisions it said would force radiographers to surrender a significant portion of their practising fees.
Dembele alleged that the bill mandates the sharing of 70 per cent of practising fees with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), a development he described as exploitative.
“This reveals the true motive — financial colonisation,” he said.
The association also expressed reservations over a separate proposed legislation, HB 2699, titled the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria Amendment Bill.
According to ARN, the amendment bill appears designed to weaken the board internally by introducing measures that could compromise its independence.
It faulted the proposed inclusion of medical doctors on the board, describing it as a violation of the principle of professional self-regulation.
The group also warned against what it described as excessive ministerial powers in the bill, saying such provisions could politicise professional regulation in the health sector.
ARN maintained that in many advanced healthcare systems around the world, radiography is regulated independently by professionals within the field.
The association cited countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia as examples where radiography regulation remains profession-led and autonomous.
It argued that Nigeria should not adopt a model that, in its view, falls below internationally accepted standards.
Consequently, the association called on the National Assembly to reject the bill in its current form and safeguard the integrity of the country’s healthcare regulatory structure.
It also urged lawmakers and relevant stakeholders to convene a broad-based summit aimed at developing a more balanced and inclusive regulatory framework that recognises the independent status of all health professions.
Dembele added that the association stands in solidarity with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, and other health sector stakeholders who have similarly opposed related legislative proposals.