The Standards Organization of Nigeria, SON, has re-emphasized the importance of the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme [MANCAP], which all manufacturers must strive to obtain and the SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCA), which must accompany all imported products to guarantee quality products for the safety of consumers in the country, insisting that these
are critical tools of competitiveness for Nigerian businesses in the international trade arena
.
Speaking at a one day capacity building workshop for Commerce and Industry Correspondents in Lagos, Tuesday, organized by the SON, Head of the MANCAP/SONCAP unit of the agency, Engineer Ayodele, who was represented on the occasion by Mrs Ijeoma Umego said the SON has introduced unique numbers for MANCAP/SONCAP products. Each product she explained has its own unique identification number.

According to her, even if a manufacturer has many products, each of the products will have its own unique identification number with which it can be traced or identified.

She noted ” you can see a number also on that logo. That number is unique to an individual product. Even if I’m a company making five brands of bread, maybe I have easy bread, Jumoke bread, delicious bread, each of those bread will have different ID numbers given to them, as the case may be. It could be an electrical appliance. The same thing is applicable. You must have a unique number; once two products bear the same number, then there is a question. One person is faking that product. So that’s how you know whether the product is right or wrong.”

While maintaining that the certification of all locally manufactured products is very, very important. She listed the the benefits of compliance to include; improved products, both internationally, nationally, increased customer confidence and reduced waste, and tendencies to make mistakes while producing. “Therefore, for every product one desires to produce, ensure inquiries are made from the closest Sun state office on the relevant standards and necessary certifications needed to ensure the product or service conforms to the standard and laws.”

The SON she further disclosed has 46 state offices and present in almost every state across the country

For Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, Mrs.Umego advised that they should always approach any of the state offices anytime they are in need of assistance ” whenever you need any information, and you will be assisted. Standard organization of Nigeria is ever ready to assist MSMEs and indeed, all manufacturers meet the relevant requirements to become competitive and successful.” Through our MANCAP services, what we tell our producers, our manufacturer, is this, what you yourself as a person that is producing, cannot consume or sell. Please do not go ahead to produce that.”

Meanwhile, Director General [DG] of the Standards Organization of Nigeria [SON]-Dr Ifeanyi Okeke had earlier in an opening speech affirmed that “Standards drive process efficiency, reduce production costs and improve the quality of outputs.’They promote sustainability and eco-friendly practices in production and service delivery.” He added

Okeke further maintained that adherence to standards foster innovations and encourages the adoption of global best practices”.