Licensing and CPD for Therapists in Nigeria

Who actually regulates therapy in Nigeria, how to register as a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist, and what CPD is expected of you.

There is no single government licence to practise therapy in Nigeria. Counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists each register with different professional bodies, and only psychiatrists — through the MDCN — sit under a fully statutory regime. Here is the map, body by body.

Is a licence required to practise therapy in Nigeria?

The honest answer is that, for most talk-therapy roles, no government agency currently issues a compulsory licence. Nigeria regulates the mental-health professions mainly through voluntary professional associations that set training standards, certify members and maintain their own registers. Membership is a mark of credibility rather than a legal permit — in practice, someone can call themselves a “therapist” without belonging to any body, which is exactly the gap the sector is working to close.

The one clear exception is psychiatry. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, so they fall under the same statutory regulator as every other doctor. A long-discussed Nigerian Council for Psychologists (Establishment) Bill would create a statutory council for psychologists too, but it has been passed by the National Assembly and is still awaiting presidential assent — it is not yet law. Until it is signed, psychology and counselling remain self-regulated.

If you are choosing a path, it helps to be clear on the roles first; our guide to the differences between therapy and counselling breaks down where each one sits.

The bodies that regulate therapists, counsellors and psychologists

Several associations share the space, roughly split between counselling and psychology:

CASSON — Counselling Association of Nigeria. Founded in 1975, the largest counselling body; it runs the certification and licensure route described below.
APROCON — Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria. A second counselling association focused on training standards and member competence.
ACMPN — Association for Counsellors, Matchmaking & Psychotherapy of Nigeria. Registers counsellors and psychotherapists (among other practitioners) and issues membership certificates used for verification.
NPA — Nigerian Psychological Association. The umbrella body for psychologists; maintains a voluntary register and sets ethical standards.
NACP — Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists. Founded in 1979, focused specifically on clinical psychologists and their practice standards.
MDCN — Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. The statutory regulator for all doctors, including psychiatrists.

One common mix-up is worth clearing up: the MRTB — Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria — is a statutory board, but it registers physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and audiologists. It does not cover psychotherapists or counsellors, so “therapist” registration with the MRTB is not what a talk-therapy practitioner needs. For a plain-language comparison of the roles clients ask about, see therapists vs counsellors vs psychiatrists.

How to become a licensed counsellor (CASSON / LPCN)

The counselling route is the most clearly mapped. In outline:

Earn the degree. CASSON’s professional (full) membership expects at least a bachelor’s degree in guidance and counselling — or a closely related field — from an institution with an accredited programme. Many practitioners go on to a master’s.
Join CASSON at the right tier. The association runs graded membership (student, associate and professional/full), so you move up as your qualifications and experience grow.
Get certified, then licensed. Full members who meet the requirements are certified as a Certified Counsellor of Nigeria (CCN). Those who then satisfy the association’s Certification and Licensure Policy (CALP) are registered as a Licensed Professional Counsellor of Nigeria (LPCN).

Because the exact CALP requirements — supervised hours, documentation, fees — are set by the association and updated over time, confirm the current checklist with CASSON directly rather than relying on any third-party summary.

How psychologists and clinical psychologists register (NPA / NACP)

Psychology splits into a general and a clinical track.

The general route starts with a degree in psychology, followed by NYSC and, usually, a specialisation (industrial/organisational, educational, counselling, and so on). Psychologists can then register on the NPA’s voluntary roll and are bound by its code of ethics.

The clinical route goes further: a master’s (and often a doctorate) in clinical psychology, a period of supervised clinical practice, and assessment through the NACP. Clinical psychologists are the ones trained to assess, diagnose and deliver structured psychological treatment.

An important caveat: titles such as “psychologist” are not yet legally protected in Nigeria, precisely because the statutory council is not in force. Registration is therefore the strongest signal a psychologist can offer — and the one employers and clients should look for.

How psychiatrists are licensed (MDCN)

Psychiatry is the fully statutory path. A psychiatrist qualifies as a medical doctor first — an MBBS/MBChB degree, housemanship and NYSC — then completes psychiatric residency and a postgraduate fellowship (for example the FWACP or FMCPsych) before practising as a specialist. Throughout, they hold a licence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and must keep it current.

The practical difference matters for referrals: only psychiatrists, as medical doctors, can prescribe medication. Counsellors and psychologists provide assessment and talk-based therapy, not prescriptions. If a client may need medication alongside therapy, the right step is a referral to a psychiatrist — our explainer on therapy or medication helps frame that conversation.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD): what’s expected

CPD is the ongoing learning practitioners do after qualifying — workshops, annual conferences, clinical supervision, short courses and reading, often tracked as credits or points. Associations lean on it to keep standards current and to justify a member’s continued place on the register.

In Nigeria, most bodies expect members to keep learning and to renew membership annually, but mandated CPD hours are not yet enforced by law across these professions the way they are for, say, doctors. Requirements also differ between associations and are being tightened over time. The sensible posture is to treat CPD as non-negotiable regardless: attend your association’s conference, seek regular supervision, and keep a record. For a sense of what a committed practice looks like, our conversation with Dr. Abigail Oni is worth a read.

What the Mental Health Act 2021 means for practitioners

The National Mental Health Act — passed in 2021 and assented in January 2023 — finally replaced the colonial-era Lunacy Act of 1958. It sets a modern governance framework: it protects the rights of people receiving care, addresses consent and involuntary treatment, and provides for national coordination of mental-health services. You can read our plain-English summary of the Mental Health Act and the national council it establishes.

What the Act does not do is create a licensing council for therapists. It governs services and rights, not the registration of individual counsellors and psychologists — that job still sits with the associations and, pending assent, the proposed psychology council. For practitioners, the Act signals the direction of travel: standardisation is coming, and being properly registered now is the best way to be ready for it.

Verifying credentials and building a credible practice

For employers, HR teams and clients doing due diligence, a few checks go a long way:

Ask which body the practitioner is registered with — CASSON, NPA, NACP, ACMPN, APROCON, or the MDCN for psychiatrists — and confirm the membership directly with that association.
Check the foundations: the relevant degree and completed NYSC.
Watch for red flags: vague or unverifiable qualifications, a “therapist” title with no named body behind it, or anyone claiming a government therapy licence that does not yet exist.

For practitioners, the takeaways are simple: keep your registration and CPD current, hold to your association’s ethics code, and make your credentials easy to verify. Listing on a vetted platform helps — reputable directories confirm degrees and registration before a profile goes live, which is part of how clients find people they can trust. See how we cover this in top therapists and counsellors in Nigeria.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a licence to work as a therapist in Nigeria? There is currently no single government licence. Counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists register with different professional bodies; only psychiatrists, through the MDCN, sit under a fully statutory regime. A dedicated psychology council has been proposed but is not yet established.

Who regulates psychologists in Nigeria? The Nigerian Psychological Association (NPA) maintains the voluntary register and sets standards, while the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists (NACP) handles clinical psychologists. A statutory Nigerian Council for Psychologists has been proposed but is not yet in force.

How do I become a licensed counsellor in Nigeria? Earn a degree in guidance and counselling or a related field, join the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), and meet its Certification and Licensure Policy (CALP) to be registered as a Licensed Professional Counsellor of Nigeria (LPCN).

Is CPD mandatory for Nigerian therapists? Bodies like the NPA and NACP expect members to keep learning through workshops, conferences and credits, but nationwide CPD hours are not yet enforced by law. Check your association’s current policy, as requirements are evolving.

How can I verify a therapist’s credentials in Nigeria? Ask which body they are registered with and confirm directly with that association, then check their degree and NYSC completion. Reputable platforms vet these credentials before listing a therapist.

Can counsellors or psychologists prescribe medication in Nigeria? No. Only medically qualified psychiatrists licensed by the MDCN can prescribe. Counsellors and psychologists provide talk-based therapy, assessment and support.

Thinking about joining a vetted network, or checking that your own credentials line up? Join Mytherapist.ng as a therapist, or browse licensed Nigerian therapists to see how vetted profiles are presented.