The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has launched a Digital Standards Platform (DSP) while offering selected internationally recognised standards at discounts of up to 35 per cent, in a move aimed at reducing compliance costs, improving product quality and helping Nigerian manufacturers compete more effectively in regional and global markets. The platform gives manufacturers, researchers, public institutions and businesses digital access to Nigerian Industrial Standards, conformity assessment services, certified products and verified manufacturers through a single online portal. Speaking during the unveiling over the weekend in Abuja, Director-General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, said the platform marks a major shift in the agency’s approach to regulation, arguing that standards administration must evolve with industry. “For over five decades we have pursued this mandate faithfully. But the world has changed, and an institution that regulates industry must never lag behind the industries it regulates,” Okeke said. He said the platform was conceived after the agency examined the challenges businesses face in accessing standards and compliance services. “We asked ourselves a hard question: if a young entrepreneur in Aba, Kano or Onitsha wishes to know the standard her product must meet, how long should it take her to find out? The honest answer, until today, was: too long. The Digital Standards Platform is our answer to that question. “From today, Nigerian Industrial Standards, compliance tools, conformity assessment services and standards-related resources are available digitally, searchable, accessible and verifiable, without the barriers of distance, queues or paperwork,” he added. According to Okeke, the DSP serves as a single digital gateway to Nigeria’s quality infrastructure, providing access to the catalogue of Nigerian Industrial Standards while enabling users to verify certified products and manufacturers through dedicated online directories. A key feature of the platform is discounted access to selected internationally recognised standards through SON’s subscription and copyright licensing agreements with international standards organisations. “By making international standards more affordable and readily accessible, SON is equipping Nigerian industries, researchers, professionals and public institutions with the tools they need to improve quality, drive innovation and compete more effectively in regional and international markets,” he added. While unveiling the platform, the Minister of state for Industry, Senator John Enoh, described the initiative as a major step towards accelerating industrialisation, promoting digital governance and advancing Nigeria’s economic growth.
Don't miss out on breaking stories and in-depth articles.
