WHO IS A PUBLIC ANALYST?

A Public Analyst is a registered member of the Institute, who by virtue of his/her knowledge, training, skill, competence and integrity is authorized by law to analyse consumer and health-related products such as: Food, Drugs, Medical Devices, Cosmetics, Water, Chemicals, Chemically and Biologically-based Consumer Products, etc. and issue certificates regarding their composition, use, quality, safety and efficacy.

A registered member of the Institute is that person who holds a membership certificate of the Institute. There are four categories of membership:

- Fellows
- Honorary Fellows
- Members
- Trainees (Student Members)

A member of the Institute is entitled to use the following designatory letters after his/her name according to the category of membership:

FIPAN - Fellow of the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria
MIPAN - Member of the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria.

Members of the Institute are spread across the country in many public and private organizations, e.g. Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Research Institutes, Higher Institutions, Manufacturing Sectors, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), etc.

MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION

IPAN Act makes it mandatory for any Person(s) or firm(s) wishing to practice public analysis in Nigeria to duly register with the Institute. According to Section 19 (2), if any person who is not a member of the institute practises as a public analyst for or in expectation of reward or takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is in practice as public analyst, he is guilty of an offence and shall be prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction.

QUALIFICATION FOR REGISTRATION

The minimum qualification for registration as a trainee (Student member) is a Bachelor's degree or Higher National Diploma. Also, the applicant must have a minimum of five (5) O-Level credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

Some specified entry qualification relevant to the practice of Public Analysts is as follows:
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Industrial Chemistry
- Pharmacy
- Microbiology
- Food Science and Technology
- Laboratory Science and Technology, etc.

PROCEDURES FOR MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION

• -Applicant willing to apply for membership of the Institute should visit the institute’s website www.ipan.gov.ng
• -Confirm eligibility through qualification for membership registration
• -On the website click on Portal Sign in, click on member portal or use the link https://portal.ipan.com.ng/ 
• -Click on new Application to sign up for your account in the Institute E-portal.
• -Upon signing up, Log in to complete the application form
• -On the left side corner of the portal, under the dashboard, click on registration, follow by new registration to complete application  form.
• -Follow the specifications and format for upload e.g Passport JPG Max size 5mb, CV pdf, Max Size: 10mb etc.
  -On completion of the form tick the declaration box and submit. 
• -To make payment, click on payments under the dash board and click on make payment to pay into IPAN TSA account.  Alternatively, to pay for Application fee (₦5,000:00) into the Institute's TSA account, login to www.remita.net, then on the Search,    type –INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ANALYSTS OF NIGERIA and follow the subsequent links Name of Service/Purpose –SALES OF        MEMBERSHIP FORM
• -Proceed to pay with your card or through online banking system using GIFMIS Code for Sales of Forms– 1000180974
• -Send mail to ipanmembership@gmail.com for confirmation of your application.
• -Note: You can always log in with your log in details to track progress of your application. You can as well change your password under setting located under the dashboard. 
• Processing of Application Form, screening by the appropriate Committee and admission of qualified applicants into one of the Institute's Professional training and examination level using approved criteria and verifiable information contained in applicant's Curriculum Vitae and submitted documents.
• -Registration of applicants as Student Members (based on the level of categorization) after completion of the required process and payment of all approved and applicable fees.
• -In line with the approved syllabus for each level, Student Member undergoes professional training and tutelage for the applicable level and required period.
• -The Institute’s professional examination is conducted twice a year (June and December), each student member sits for the Institute's professional examination as and when due.
• -On the successful completion of training and final stage of the Institute's professional examination, Student Members are admitted in membership (at an induction ceremony) after fulfilling other applicable requirements and are registered and licensed to practice as Public Analysts in Nigeria subject to the Institute's code of ethics.

WHEN A PERSON IS DEEMED TO PRACTICE AS A PUBLIC ANALYST

Section 14 (1) of IPAN Act states as follows: a person shall be deemed to practice as a public analyst if, in consideration of remuneration to be received, and whether by himself or in partnership with any person, he:-

(a) engages himself in the practice of public analysis or holds himself out to public as a public analyst; or

(b) renders professional service or assistance in or about matters of principle or detail relating to public analysis;

(c) renders any other service which may by regulations made by the Council, with the approval of the Minister, be designated as service constituting practice as a public analyst.

PRACTICE OF THE PROFESSION

IPAN ensures very high ethics in the practice of the profession. As such, all members are required to be guided by the code of conduct as approved by the council.

The core of the professional practice is analysis of consumer products, which involves the establishment of a laboratory by individual Analysts or group (Laboratory ownership by partnership). Clientele include individuals, government agencies, corporate organizations, manufacturers, importers/exporters, etc.
Other Public Analysts who may not own laboratory are gainfully employed in private and public sectors or as Consultants to various organisations.

Some of the varieties of products, which are frequently received and analysed in laboratories by Public Analysts in their day-to-day practices, are:

- Food Products (Raw and Processed):
Packaged food (canned, bottled or bagged): e.g. biscuits, soft drinks, beer, salt, sugar, oil, spirit and liqueur, breakfast cereals, etc.
Raw food: meat, milk, cocoa beans, coffee beans, fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, etc.

- Pharmaceutical Products: raw materials, finished products, e.g.
tablets, capsules, caplets, solid and liquid injectables, vaccines,
disinfectants, syrups, suspensions, medicated soaps, etc.

- Cosmetic Products: raw materials and processed cosmetic products, e.g.
detergents, soaps, creams, pomades, relaxers, perfumes, etc.

- Water: bottled and sachet water, borehole and well waters, swimming pool
water, fishponds, industrial effluents, etc.

- Chemicals: industrial and agricultural chemicals and products e.g. alcohols,
acids, water treatment chemicals, dyes, pesticides, preservatives, etc.

- Medical Devices: sanitary pads and other wool products, syringes and
implants.

- Agricultural Products: fertilizers, animal feeds, pesticides, etc.

- Extractive Industrial Products: tin, bauxite, feldspar, kaolin, etc.

- Construction Industry: cement, steel, paint, etc.

- Environmental matrices

- Other Areas of Functions:
On-line and off-line trouble shooting in manufacturing outfits, Quality assurance auditing, Consultancy services on Good Laboratory Practice(GLP), Development of analytical methods, Training of laboratory personnel, Inter-professional consultancy services, Export and Import inspection services, Petroleum and Petroleum products analysis, Analysis - to ascertain faking and adulteration, in response to litigations, for registration purposes, for forensic purposes, for environmental impact assessment, Environmental audit report, etc.