The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has launched a Digital Standards Platform aimed at improving product quality, simplifying regulatory compliance and enhancing the competitiveness of Made-in-Nigeria products in domestic and international markets.
The platform, unveiled in Abuja is expected to provide manufacturers, businesses and consumers with seamless access to Nigerian Industrial Standards, compliance tools, certification services and other standards-related resources, while supporting the Federal Government’s industrialisation and economic diversification agenda.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, described the initiative as a major milestone in Nigeria’s drive towards a digitally enabled industrial sector.
He said the collaboration between SON, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and technology firm Goringu reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to institutional cooperation and reforms aimed at strengthening the nation’s manufacturing sector.
According to him, greater collaboration among government agencies is essential to delivering efficient services and removing bottlenecks that have traditionally hindered business growth.
Enoh noted that Nigeria’s large domestic market could only be fully harnessed if consumers had confidence in the quality of locally manufactured goods.
He explained that the Digital Standards Platform would make compliance easier for businesses, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), while strengthening public confidence in Made-in-Nigeria products.
“The Digital Standards Platform dismantles all such barriers. It places the full library of our national standards, compliance tools and certification services within the reach of everyone.
“It converts standardisation from a bureaucratic hurdle into a business advantage,” the minister said.
He disclosed that the Bureau of Public Procurement would integrate the platform into the country’s public procurement process, noting that government remains the largest purchaser of goods and services in Nigeria.
According to him, the integration would encourage greater compliance with quality standards among suppliers seeking government contracts.
Enoh also linked the initiative to Nigeria’s ambitions under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stressing that local manufacturers must produce goods that meet internationally accepted standards if they are to compete successfully across African markets.
He said Made-in-Nigeria products should earn consumer patronage based on quality and competitiveness rather than patriotism alone, warning that failure to improve product standards could expose the country to becoming a dumping ground for substandard goods.
Director-General and Chief Executive of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, described the platform as a transformative step towards building a digitally enabled national quality infrastructure in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria First Policy.
He said the platform serves as a single digital gateway through which businesses, regulators and consumers can access Nigerian Industrial Standards, certified products, verified manufacturers and other quality assurance resources without the delays associated with manual processes.
“The Digital Standards Platform is our answer to that question. From today, Nigeria’s Industrial Standards, compliance tools, conformity assessment services and standards-related resources are available digitally, searchable, accessible and verifiable, without the barriers of distance, queues or paperwork,” Okeke said.
He explained that the platform also features an integrated online marketplace and directory that would improve transparency and make it easier for businesses to identify certified products and verified manufacturers.
Okeke added that the initiative would reduce the cost of accessing internationally recognised standards through SON’s licensing agreements with global standards organisations.
According to him, users of the platform will be able to purchase selected adopted international standards at discounts of up to 35 per cent below their original acquisition cost, making compliance more affordable for Nigerian businesses.
ENDS
(The Whistler)
