From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), on Wednesday, issued the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certificates to 10 companies in Anambra State.
Out of the 10 companies, six were awarded certificates for the first time for their products while four had their certificates revalidated.
Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, who presented the certificates, said that the event was a continuation of the organisation’s mission to promote consumers’ confidence and global competitiveness of made-in-Nigeria products through standardisation and quality assurance.
Salim, represented by the State Coordinator, Anambra State Office II in Nnewi, Ogbuji Michael, said that the MANCAP certification was very essential in propelling industrial growth.
“Industrial players must therefore standardize their products to meet quality assurance laid down rules especially with the recent push by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the removal of trade barriers, and the signing of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) by Nigeria in order to enable free movement of goods and services within the member countries.
“The implication is that standardised products can find market anywhere within these nations, while non-standardised products will not be allowed anywhere close to those nations.
“SON, through the MANCAP schemes and other conformity assessment programmes, has ensured strict adherence to standards. There is thus, urgent need for industrial players to strictly adhere to standardization and MANCAP certification to improve their business sectors so as to promote Nigerian products in the international markets.
“It is expedient, therefore, that products must be standardized as the case may be, to be able to access more markets, thereby growing our industries”, Salim said.
The SON DG, while commending the awardees for ensuring that their products were certified, urged all their stakeholders who were yet to key into the MANCAP Scheme of SON to avail themselves of the opportunities of the program to certify their products.
“This is because in short time any product that is not certified will not be allowed to be sold in the Nigerian market and those already in the market that do not have the MANCAP logo shall be withdrawn”, he added.
The companies awarded MANCAP certificates were Sky Aluminium Products Nig. Ltd, Goldroff Apex Aluminium Industrial Co. Ltd, Safety Ind Ltd, Adswitch Plc, City King Nigeria Wire and Cable Ltd and Peterben Nigeria Limited.
Those whose certificates were revalidated were Beta Cosmetics Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Seahorse Lubricants Industries Ltd, Safety Ind. Ltd and First Express Aluminum Co. Ltd.