Minna: The Niger Governor’s Wife, Hajiya Fatima Bago, has lauded the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for its sustained efforts in enhancing the quality of locally-manufactured goods in the state. Bago made the commendation when she received a delegation from SON, led by the agency’s State Coordinator, Hajiya Hauwa Nuhu, which paid a visit to her office at the Government House, Minna.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Bago highlighted the significant improvements in product certification and standardisation among local entrepreneurs, attributing these advancements to SON’s continuous interventions. She recalled a programme organised by a commercial bank shortly after her assumption of office, where various locally-made products were showcased. The governor’s wife noted the remarkable improvement in product certification over the past few years, with even small-scale products now meeting required standards. She emphasized the achievement by noting that products such as zobo are now certified, urging entrepreneurs to uphold product standards for health safety.
Bago expressed her readiness to advocate for stronger collaboration between the State Government and SON to further boost local production, assuring her office’s support for such initiatives.
Earlier, Hajiya Hauwa Nuhu mentioned that the visit was also to commiserate with the State Government and its people over the recent spate of kidnappings, describing the incidents as distressing. She appreciated the governor’s wife for her resilience and supportive role during the period and briefed her on SON’s activities in the state. Nuhu emphasized SON’s core mandate of ensuring quality assurance and standardisation, along with enforcing compliance with approved standards through programmes like the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme and the SON Conformity Assessment Programme.
Nuhu highlighted the significant impact SON had made on entrepreneurship, particularly among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). She stated that more than 300 locally produced MSME products in the state have been certified, and some have gained international competitiveness and received SME awards due to the visibility provided by SON. Nuhu concluded by disclosing that three products from Niger have gained international competitiveness and received SME awards, highlighting the success of SON’s efforts in promoting local products.