The Federal Government has inaugurated the governing board of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as part of efforts to strengthen industrial growth and attract both local and foreign investment.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, inaugurated the board in Abuja on Thursday, describing the appointment of the members as timely and strategic for Nigeria’s ongoing economic transformation.
Oduwole said the inauguration aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to deepen industrialisation, attract investments, and expand value chains under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She noted that recent endorsements of Nigeria’s economic reforms by the World Bank reflected growing global confidence in the country’s policy direction, stressing that expectations were high for SON to deliver measurable economic outcomes.
According to her, the SON Act mandates the board to promote quality standards, enhance industrial development, and support the competitiveness of Nigerian products within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the global market.
The minister acknowledged existing challenges affecting production, including infrastructure deficits, security concerns, and operational bottlenecks, but assured that the government was addressing them through coordinated reforms and targeted policies.
She urged the board to strengthen oversight, close implementation gaps, and ensure that locally produced, imported, and exported goods meet international quality standards to improve Nigeria’s competitiveness.
Oduwole also emphasised the need for strong collaboration between the governing board and SON management, noting that effective synergy would boost productivity, expand exports, and create jobs across key sectors of the economy.
She expressed confidence that the new board would contribute meaningfully to ongoing reforms and accelerate Nigeria’s industrialisation drive through innovation, discipline, and strategic leadership, while wishing the members a productive tenure focused on tangible results.
Industrial Policy, Product Standards Key — Enoh
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, said the forthcoming Nigeria Industrial Policy would place greater responsibility on SON to ensure product quality and competitiveness in both local and international markets.
Enoh said Nigeria’s ambition to emerge as an industrial hub requires strict standards enforcement to enable locally manufactured goods compete effectively with foreign products and reduce the influx of substandard and counterfeit items.
He urged unity and collaboration between the board and management, adding that adherence to the SON Act would help meet government expectations and strengthen industrial growth.
SON Board Assures Commitment
Speaking on behalf of the board members, the Chairman of the governing board, Yahuza Inuwa, thanked the President, the two ministers, and the ministry’s management for the opportunity to serve.
Inuwa assured that the board would work diligently to ensure the effective implementation of SON’s mandates and objectives in line with national development goals.
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