Ilorin: The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has presented the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certificates for 23 products across nine companies. Speaking on the sidelines of the presentation of the certificates, the Director-General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, stated that 15 products were certified while eight were revalidated.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Okeke, who was represented by the Kwara Coordinator of SON, Abdulrazaq Oyewopo, explained that the MANCAP certification is the cornerstone of the organisation’s efforts to uphold the highest standards in product manufacturing in the country. SON regularly carries out inspections of companies to monitor adherence to quality standards, with quality assessments conducted after two consecutive inspections.
He further explained that the documents of companies that have attained the minimum standards requirements are submitted to SON’s MANCAP office for compilation and subsequent certification. Okeke described MANCAP as a mandatory product certification scheme established by SON to ensure that all locally manufactured products conform to relevant Nigerian industrial standards before being presented for sale or export.
He noted that some companies have multiple products, each with its own requirements, and that each product must meet the standards before certification. The organisation is striving to ensure goods entering Nigeria are inspected for standards, but Okeke lamented the need for stricter monitoring at the nation’s ports to prevent the influx of substandard goods.
Okeke also warned against packaging food items in used plastic bottles, which poses health hazards, advising that such bottles are meant for recycling, not for repackaging edible foods. Speaking on the merits of MANCAP, the Assistant Chief Technical Officer of SON, Mrs. Ibukunolu Alasan, said the certification assures consumers that a product has met the required quality standards, enhancing its credibility and enabling export to international markets.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some of the firms awarded MANCAP certification include Jossy Foam Nig. Ltd, Tascon Plastic Industria Ltd, Kam Steel Integrated Company Ltd, El-Salmat Pharmaceutical Company, and Danjuma Bread.