As part of its new drive for awareness and visibility, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has unveiled new logo and at the same time, introduced what it called a temporary Product Identification Scheme (PIS) at MAN House on Tuesday in Lagos.
In his address at a stakeholders’ forum on the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for all products manufactured in Nigeria the Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said the agency has established seven regional laboratories in Bauchi, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Awka, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos.
He explained that the new PIS, will amongst other things, significantly reduce the time it takes for manufacturers to test their products, thereby easing the certification process.
According to him, “We have an internal system where a committee of senior SON officials objectively reviews all certification processes before approval. Previously, this took a quarter, but we have now reduced it to two weeks to ensure timely delivery,” he stated.
While noting that SON introduced the Product Identification Scheme as a stopgap for products without existing standards, Okeke averred that this initiative allows emerging products to enter the market under temporary guidelines while SON works on developing formal standards.
He added that “We cannot shut our doors to innovation. Industrialization must be encouraged while we gather data to establish necessary standards.”
“The PIS will run for three years, during which SON will monitor trends and ensure integration into the formal certification system. This initiative is a bridge between innovation and regulation, ensuring that manufacturers can operate while we develop necessary standards,” Okeke added.
