The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has announced plans to boost the export of Nigeria’s locally manufactured goods with its newly accredited laboratories.
The Director-General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, stated this at the unveiling of its three accredited laboratories in Ogba, Lagos.
In a statement issued by the agency on Friday, he said that the standards body was planning to increase the level of export of locally made goods to the international market.
According to the Director-General, the accredited laboratories will encourage manufacturers to increase their production capacity.
He added that the products certified and tested in the laboratory would receive global acceptance.
Salim said, “What it means for our market is that most of our manufacturers you heard them saying that their products were rejected even by our local companies because their products are not certified because they do not have laboratory certificate to say that they are up to standard, but now that excuse is out of the way.
“Also, because of the export potential of our industries, with the certification, it is easy for them to export anywhere in the world. An accredited laboratory means that whatever we say is good is good.
“It gives the nation credibility, it gives our manufacturers credibility, and it saves our foreign currency because they do not have to go to neighboring countries to get their products certified any more, so it is a win-win situation for everybody.”
The DG said the accreditation of goods would increase the level of confidence of both local and foreign consumers of made-in-Nigeria goods.
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“We are allowed to export to the United States, now with the accreditation showing that our products are up to standard, it means it would be easier for exporters to export to America and every other country in the world, so it makes things easier because there is legitimacy and authentication,” he added.
“The consumers abroad will have the confidence to buy goods coming from Nigeria because the certification shows that the goods have been tested and verified okay for consumption,” Salim added.
According to him, there are plans to establish more laboratories in the country in a bid to ensure that goods can be tested anywhere in the country, enjoining stakeholders in the industry to contribute their quota in its quest to build more world-class laboratories in the country.
Delivering her goodwill message at the event, the Deputy Director, Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO) Oshodi, Dr. Adebukola Huthman, commended the standards body for unveiling the accredited laboratories.
“I know what you had to go through to achieve this, but to go ahead to meet the tough requirements means that SON has done lots of beautiful work and it also shows that their results have a lot of integrity and there is high confidence in their result,” she said.
“An accredited laboratory means that Nigeria has the same standards as other countries in the world. SON’s laboratories are among the very few accredited laboratories in the world,” she added.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, Paints Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Jude Maduka, said the accreditation would ensure that made-in-Nigeria goods compete favourably in the AfCFTA, stressing that the laboratories would strengthen SON’s testing capabilities.
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