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By Charles Nwaoguji
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Rivers/Bayelsa State Office, PortHarcourt has awarded 12 companies Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) Certification (10 in Rivers and 2 in Bayelsa) for compliancy.
The Director General/Chief Executive, SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma commended the companies for their quality consciousness and efforts in complying to the requirements of relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards.
Aboloma, who stated this at the MANCAP certificate award, held in Port Hicourt recently, encouraged manufacturers to embrace the product certification schemes SON offers as this will strategically position Nigerian products for export and the AfCTA.
He said that the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) is a mandatory product certification scheme put in place to ensure all locally manufactured products conform to the requirements of the relevant Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) before such products are presented for sale in the market or exported.
The DG, who was represented by the State Coordinator, Rivers/Bayelsa, Engr. Ololade Ayoola, stated that the programme started in 2006 and aims at ensuring compliance of made-in Nigeria products to minimum requirements of Nigerian Industrial Standards, thereby promoting fair competition at both domestic and international markets as well as safeguarding the lives of consumers, adding that the ultimate result is economic and industrial development of Nigeria.
He stated that Standards create value for society in many ways. For example by stimulating productivity and innovation, standards becomes an essential driver for economic growth.
He noted that a number of studies carried out in developed countries such as Denmark, Germany, UK, France and Canada have investigated the connection between standards and economic growth and they show that standards account for 1% to 4% of the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He further stated that research revealed that a majority of organizations primarily use standards because they are required to do so, either by the government, market or their customers or by legislation, adding that the same group of organizations also replied that the use of standards offered a number of advantages such as acquiring knowledge and best practices, easier communication with customers as well as suppliers, higher quality and increased efficiency.
Also, speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Institute of Export Operations & Management ( IEOM), Mr. Ofon Udofia said the SON’s MANCAP (Mandatory Conformity Assessment programme) Scheme for locally manufactured products and SONCAP (Standards Organization of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme) scheme for imported goods should be seen and used as tools for industrial development and trade facilitation.
He stated that conformity assessment involves a set of processes that show that a product, service or a system meets the requirements of a standard.
He stated that if a product is certified , it gives a company a competitive edge by documenting that it meets the requirements of a standard, adding that It ensures that health, safety and environmental conditions are met.
“It reduces technical barriers to trade and opens markets by making it easier to export and import products,” he stated.
The awardee companies appreciated the efforts of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria in developing and improving the quality products manufactured locally.
