Ease of Doing Business: SON begins 60 days MANCAP certification for SMEs

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria ‎(SON) has commenced 60 days issuance of MANCAP certificate for entrepreneurs in the country.

‎This is as the organisation directed its staff to go round the investors stands at the Lagos State Trade Fair to ensure compliance of standards by participating companies.
Osita Aboloma, director general of the SON, represented by Margaret Eshiett, director of business support services (BSS), during SON special day at the 2017 Lagos International Trade Fair, reiterated that standardisation and product certification remained keys to improving Nigerian product competitiveness in the local and international market and for gaining acceptance.
Aboloma noted that SON recently discovered that some manufactures would place labels of products made in Nigeria with those of other countries.
“We frown at this if you make a product in Nigeria, then you should be proud to identify the product with Nigeria‎,” he said.
The DG said that SON had put in place planned implementation of products’ authentication scheme before the end of the year.
The SON’s boss explained that the scheme, which was long overdue, would tackle the challenge of products cloning and product adulteration. The outcome of product authentication scheme would eradicate product faking and support zero-tolerance to sub-standard products and ultimately promote the image of quality certified products from Nigeria, he explained.

Aboloma urged all MSMEs operators to step up their game to become the driving force of the Nigerian economy, increase employment and grow trade, saying that “SON is very committed to promoting industrialisation for economic recovery and sustainable growth”.
He also said that SON was now subsidising sales of standards to MSMEs at 50 percent at nationwide MSME clinics.
He added that the certification, laboratory testing charges and SONCAP import permit were equally subsidised by 50 percent.
In her opening remark, Nike Akande, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said that the theme of the fair, ‘Promoting Industrilisation for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Growth’, drew attention to the need for consistency in the ongoing reforms driven to achieve industrialisation, boost non-oil export, attract Foreign Direct Investment(FDIs) and create a more conducive business environment.
She reiterated its call on the government to address the perennial issues of access to credit, poor power supply and forex challenges affecting businesses.
Akande stated that regulatory agencies like SON were directly relevant to the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
She called on the SON to continue the fight against sub-standard and unwholesome products leading to building collapses, fire outbreaks and accidents which had claimed lives and destroyed properties across the country.

ODINAKA ANUDU