The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have issued a joint warning to producers and suppliers, urging them to stop the distribution of substandard products in Nigerian markets.
This warning came during a one-day stakeholder workshop in Abakaliki, themed “Growing Businesses Through Standardization.”
Speaking at the event, SON Director General, represented by the Director of Corporate Affairs, explained that substandard goods harm the country’s economic growth and undermine genuine producers. He emphasized that compliance with established standards is essential to achieving industrial and economic development.
He added that today’s global markets demand not just good products, but proof of how those products are made. To access premium markets both locally and internationally, products must meet required benchmarks, which are designed not to frustrate but to support producers.
“When fake or inferior goods flood the market, they damage the reputation of genuine businesses,” he said, calling on producers to work closely with SON. He described standards as essential tools for business growth, resilience, and competitiveness, protecting investments and boosting long-term success.
NAFDAC Coordinator in Ebonyi also pledged to work with SON to rid markets of fake products. He urged producers to get proper certification for their goods before selling them.
A resource person at the event stressed the importance of using locally made products, especially electrical materials like cables. He praised Nigerian-made cables for their fire resistance and noted that all certified cables carry the SON mark.
The SON State Coordinator in Ebonyi thanked stakeholders for their continued cooperation. Representatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, and Nigeria Immigration Service also participated in the workshop.
