The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has awarded the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) Certification to 54 companies in Enugu State in recognition of their compliance with quality standards.
At the presentation ceremony on Friday in Enugu, SON Director-General, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, reaffirmed the agency’s ongoing commitment to supporting Nigerian businesses, particularly Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), in meeting international benchmarks.
Represented by the Head of SON’s South-East Regional Operations, Mr Chukwuma Aharanwa, Okeke stated that SON had introduced several initiatives aimed at strengthening the quality of Nigerian-made goods.
These include subsidised access to standard specifications, discounted certification and laboratory testing fees, as well as affordable SONCAP-Import Permits to assist with importing raw materials and equipment.
MSMEs are also included in all technical committees on standards development and can receive recommendations for financial support if their products meet the required certification.
Other initiatives mentioned were the SON Product Identification Scheme (SONPIS), regular factory inspections, and ongoing sampling and testing to ensure products maintain conformity with relevant standards.
“MANCAP certificates are valid for three years, but they can be suspended or revoked if a product fails to meet the standards. Quality must be maintained,” Okeke warned.
He encouraged all manufacturers, importers, and exporters to make use of SON’s services to grow their businesses, while also cautioning that the agency would take action against any attempt to undermine its work.
Enugu State Coordinator for SON, Mr Peter Ameh, highlighted innovations since the last audit, including the implementation of the Electronic Demand and Electronic Receipt (EDER) platform, deployment of the E-MANCAP system, a redesigned MANCAP logo, the launch of the SON Ogbete Market Desk, and further development of the SONPIS programme.
Other advances include acquiring water testing kits, installing block testing machines, and fully digitalising documentation processes.
Delivering a goodwill message, Director General of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Mr Uche Mba, urged the certified companies to maintain high standards so they could compete on the global stage. He assured them that the Chamber would continue supporting SON.
Speaking on behalf of the MANCAP recipients, Chief Cletus Obute, CEO of Occad International Ltd, thanked SON for its guidance and support throughout the certification process.
He pledged that certified companies would uphold the standards required to retain their MANCAP status.
