The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has restated its commitment to the federal government’s policy of improving the business environment in the country. Speaking at the 2018 Abuja International Trade Fair, Director General, SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, said the agency is implementing the requirements of the Presidential Executive Order 003 on the ease of doing business.
Aboloma who was represented by the SON, FCT coordinator, Mr. Gambo Dimka, listed some of the key achievements of SON in the ease of doing business programme to include transparent service delivery through placement of information on website for easy access, electronic services for key activities such as the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for locally manufactured products, off-shore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) for imported products and Management Systems’ Certification among others.
According to him, included are the reduction of service charges for purchase of standards, testing and training for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), reduction in the processing time for products certification to 60 days and electronic laboratory results.
He said the activities of the agency were primarily aimed at protecting lives and property, promoting access to local and foreign markets for locally- made products through improved consumer confidence as well as value addition to business in general.
Also, the agency has cooperation pact with key agencies through signed Services Level Agreements (SLAs), in addition to opening of new state offices, evolving communication strategies for effective information dissemination and awareness creation as well as massive infrastructural development, he said.
