THE ROLE OF S.O.N IN FACILITATING NON OIL EXPORT PRESENTED BY MRS TOSAN AKIN-AKOSILE. ON BEHALF OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, STANDARDS ORGANISATION OF NIGERIA(S.O.N) @ THE EXPORT PROMOTION CONFERENCE BY NACCIMA ON THURSDAY,20TH SEPTEMBER, 2018.

INTRODUCTION One major task of the present administration is to diversify the economy of this country which solely relied on the proceeds from crude oil sales. The urge in fact became loud with the crashing in the prices of crude oil at the global market, free fall in the national currency (the Naira) as well as scarcity of foreign exchange. The crude oil output in Nigeria also dropped due to activities of vandals and Niger delta militants. President Muhammadu Buhari urged Nigerians as a matter of urgency to produce locally what they consume. The campaign to buy Made in Nigeria goods/ patronize locally made products is being re-echoed.

Introduction (cont’d) Standards Organization of Nigeria (S.O.N) with her mandate and a key player in establishing the National Quality Infrastructure(NQI) is relentlessly working on how the country can increase her export on non oil products tremendously. The four tentacles of the NQI of which S.O.N is also using as the gear in facilitating non oil export are: 1. Conformity Assessment 2. Standardization 3. Accreditation 4. Metrology

Standardization S.O.N focus strongly on standards elaboration, so that our locally manufactured products have a benchmark (specifications) used in their production, thus producing products of good quality that will not only give consumer confidence but global competitiveness of Nigerian products. This in turn will boost export of made in Nigeria products. Same standards are used to ensure that imported goods meets the minimum requirements of the product(s) standard. This will prevent the country from becoming a dumping ground for substandard products and a threat to our local manufacturers.

2. Conformity Assessment The process of determining whether a product, process or services meet specific requirement is termed Conformity Assessment. Certification: Certification is a procedure by which a third party gives a written assurance that a product, process or service conforms to the specified requirement. SON carries certification of locally made goods through the MANCAP (Mandatory Conformity Assessment programme) Scheme, while that of imported goods is through the SONCAP (Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme) scheme.

certification (cont’d) Locally manufactured products certified are eligible to use the MANCAP logo and respective numbers. Imported products are checked to ensure they meet the minimum requirement of the relevant Nigerian Standard at the country of origin before approval to ship the consignment to Nigeria. The MANCAP scheme helps to boost export of locally made goods while SONCAP will help to reduce importation of substandard products into the country.

3. Accreditation Accreditation is a procedure by which an authoritative body gives a formal recognition that a body or person is competent to carryout specific task. Accreditation of laboratories to ISO 17025 plays a crucial role in the export of our Agricultural produce and locally manufactured goods. As such, laboratories have a global recognition. S.O.N at present have the Microbiology and Food/Chemistry laboratories accredited to ISO 17025, (Electrical Micronutrients etc.) are under the process of accreditation to same standards.

Accreditation (cont’d) Most of Nigeria Agricultural produce exported are returned as analysis are not carried out by laboratories accredited to ISO 17025. S.O.N is also encouraging private laboratories to get accredited to ISO 17025 so that accessibility to accredited laboratories will be very easy.

4. Metrology Metrology is the science of weight and measurements and has great impact on our economy, health and safety and general well being. Metrology ensures accuracy of measurements in all the sectors. Metrology in fact is the Bedrock of National Development and this necessitated the S.O.N to establish the National Metrology Institute (NMI) located in Enugu. The National Metrology Institute (NMI) gives us the access to traceability of measurement to the S.I unit. Establishment of the NMI will further promote export of Non oil products due to precision measurements.

CONCLUSION S.O.N ensuring locally manufactured products compliance to specifications to relevant standards, easy accessibility of accredited laboratories to ISO 17025, and continuous development of the metrology institute will go a long way to increase non oil export product in Nigeria.

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