The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has intensified efforts to streamline product certification and support manufacturers by decentralizing its laboratory network and introducing a temporary Product Identification Scheme (PIS).
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) and the official launch of its new logo in Lagos, SON’s Director-General, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, announced the establishment of seven regional laboratories in Bauchi, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Awka, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos. This expansion aims to reduce testing time for manufacturers, easing the certification process and enhancing product quality.
Dr. Okeke also highlighted improvements in SON’s internal certification system, noting that a senior committee now reviews approvals in just two weeks—down from a previous three-month timeline—ensuring faster certification for manufacturers.
To address gaps in standardization, SON introduced the Product Identification Scheme, a temporary framework allowing products without existing standards to enter the market while formal guidelines are developed. “We cannot shut our doors to innovation. Industrialization must be encouraged while we gather data to establish necessary standards,” Okeke stated. The scheme will run for three years, during which SON will monitor product trends and integrate them into the formal certification system.
Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, emphasized the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s standardization processes to enhance competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). He warned that inconsistent standards could create barriers for Nigerian manufacturers, limiting access to the continental market.
“For us to prove that our products meet global standards, we must eliminate technical trade barriers. Otherwise, we risk turning Africa’s 1.5 billion-person market into an opportunity for foreign manufacturers while sidelining our industries,” Ajayi-Kadir said. He urged regulatory agencies to align standards across African markets to prevent Nigerian products from being locked out due to inconsistencies.
Ajayi-Kadir also called for a moratorium period during the transition to new standards, preventing economic disruptions and inflationary risks. Additionally, he stressed the need for Nigeria to leverage its economic influence within Africa through trade reciprocity. “We have supported Africa through aid and peacekeeping. Now, we must use trade as a tool to secure returns on those efforts,” he asserted.
Dr. Jide Johnson, Director of Special Programmes at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, underscored the importance of branding in standardization. “For an organization like SON, integrity, innovation, teamwork, and consumer focus are the pillars of excellence. Standardization is not just a regulatory function—it is a national duty to ensure Nigerian products gain consumer trust and global confidence,” he said.
Johnson further emphasized that any institution that fails to innovate risks extinction, likening outdated practices to the fate of dinosaurs.
With these reforms, SON aims to reinforce industrial growth, boost consumer confidence, and position Nigerian products for success in regional and global markets.
