Section 1: Establishment of the Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria

(1) There is hereby established a body to be known as the Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (in this Act referred to as "the Institute") which shall be a body corporate under that name and be charged with the general duty of-
(a) determining what standards of knowledge and skill are to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as personnel management practitioners and raising those standards from time to time as circumstances may permit;
(b) securing in accordance with the provisions of this Act the establishment and maintenance of a register of members and the publication from time to time of lists of those persons;
(c) regulating and controlling the profession in all its aspects and ramifications;
(d) performing through the Council under this Act the functions conferred on it by this Act.
(2) The Institute shall have perpetual succession and a common seal which shall be kept in such custody as the Council may, from time to time, authorise.
(3) The Institute may sue and be sued in its corporate name and may, subject to the Land Use Act, hold, acquire and dispose of any property, movable or immovable.
(4) Subject to the provisions of this Act, members admitted to the Institute shall-
(a) possess an adequate knowledge of personnel management and be enrolled in the category of-
(i) fellows; or
(ii) members; or
(iii) associates; or
(iv) affiliates; or
(b) be registered as graduates and students for registration and training.
(5) Persons accorded by the Council status as personnel management practitioners shall be entitled to the use of that name and shall be recorded as-
(a) fellows, if they have-
(i) spent at least seven years as full members of the Institute; and
(ii) contributed significantly to the practice and development of personnel management;
(b) members, if they have-
(i) spent at least six years in the grade of associate; and
(ii) been adjudged by the Council to possess an adequate knowledge of personnel management;
(c) associates, if, they are-
(i) university graduates who have spent at least four years in the grade of affiliate; or
(ii) holders of university degrees in personnel management or related disciplines who have performed executive or advisory duties in personnel management continuously for at least six years;
(iii) graduates of the Institute who have competently performed executive or advisory duties at senior level in personnel management function for at least four years since election to the grade of graduate members;
(iv) non-graduates who have spent at least ten years in the grade of affiliate; and
(v) possessors of knowledge and qualities which conform to a standard essential to the successful practice of personnel management.
(6) The designatory letter of the-
(a) Fellows of the Institute of Personnel Management shall be "FIPM";
(b) Members of the Institute of Personnel Management shall be "MIPM";
(c) Associates of the Institute of Personnel Management shall be "AIPM".