SON Act seen reviving ailing industries

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says its reinvigorated SON Act 2015 will revamp the country’s ailing industries while also creating an enabling environment to attract both local and foreign investments into the country.

Osita Aboloma, director general, SON, explained that with the proper implementation of the SON Act 2015, the business community and industries would grow, bringing about massive job creation and employment while also creating a market for certified made-in Nigeria products globally.

Speaking at a sensitisation programme in Lagos, Aboloma, who was represented by Bede Obayi, SON’s director of inspectorate and compliance, said the essence of the ease of doing business initiative by federal government is to drive business and industrial growth across the country, stating that creating an enabling environment would promote steady growth and development.

“With standardisation, we want to ensure industrial growth. We need to make Nigeria emerge as an investment destination and hub in sub-Saharan Africa. With solid industrial base, Nigeria could become the next global economic powerhouse, following the footsteps of the Asian tigers. We want to attain economic diversification from oil to non-oil economy via rapid industrial growth. We, at SON, want to empower and strengthen the growth of MSMEs. We have already started doing this, we are granting waivers to over one million SMEs on their products registration and certifications. We must endeavour to put in place structures and policies that would enable us to be exporting finished goods than raw materials,” he said.

“Industrialisation would create enough jobs for our teeming population and guarantee development. In achieving these, the federal government is paying due attention to the manufacturing sector. The national clinics for MSMEs operators, EODB, PEBEC, ERGP, among others are geared towards industrial growth.”

He said the SON Act 2015 is more comprehensive than what was existing in the past, noting public- private dialogue is the surest way to have a good policy regime and a good business environment.

Meanwhile leading stakeholders and operators in the nation’s production, supply, demand and consumption value chain have unanimously given a thumbs-up to the amended Act of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), stating that its provisions would fast-track business and industrial growth across the country.

At an extended stakeholders meeting in Lagos, last Wednesday, Muda Yusuf, director general, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said: “Issues of non-compliance with existing standard and quality stipulations remain an ethical problem. Unfortunately, those operators who comply are increasingly finding it difficult to survive in the operating environment. The SON should create an enabling environment where operators could engage in fair competition. We commend SON for a comprehensive Act that can help us check the activities of counterfeiters and brand-cloning agents. Continuous dialogue and collaborations with stakeholders would produce positive outcomes.”

ODINAKA ANUDU