The Association of Radiographers of Nigeria has raised alarm over what it described as a legislative move aimed at undermining the radiography profession and transferring its statutory responsibilities to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. The association’s President, Dr. Musa Dembele, issued the warning on Saturday while addressing journalists at the Kano NUJ Press Centre.
He said, “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 further characterised the bill as an attempt to introduce a “jurisdictional override” designed to dismantle the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, adding, “This is a legislative execution of a profession that has served Nigeria for over 50 years.”
Citing Section 8(1) of the bill, he noted that the provision grants the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria exclusive authority, describing it as “a legislative nuclear weapon” that would strip the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria of its mandate.
The association also accused the proposed legislation of “conceptual theft,” alleging that it redefines radiology in a manner that eliminates radiography as an independent scientific discipline.
“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 financial provisions, the association alleged that the bill promotes “extortion as regulation,” noting that it mandates the sharing of 70 per cent of practising fees with the Nigerian Medical Association.
“This reveals the true motive — financial colonisation,” Dembele added.
The association also expressed concerns over a separate bill, HB 2699, the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria Amendment Bill, which it said is aimed at weakening the board internally.
It described the inclusion of medical doctors on the board as “a fundamental violation of the doctrine of professional self-regulation” and warned that excessive ministerial control could politicise regulatory processes.
According to the association, global best practices favour profession-led regulation of radiography, citing examples from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, and stressing that Nigeria should not adopt a model that contradicts established international standards.
The association called on the National Assembly to reject the bill in its entirety to safeguard the integrity of the country’s healthcare system.
It also advocated a stakeholders’ summit to develop a harmonised regulatory framework that recognises the co-equal status of all health professions, in line with practices in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
“The association aligns with the position of the Joint Health Sector Unions, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, and other critical stakeholders who have also rejected similar legislative attempts,” Dembele said.
