FG Set To Launch Reviewed NNSS to Enhance Standards, Regulations of Products

By Angel-Linda Ike

The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to launch the reviewed Nigerian National Standardization Strategy(NNSS) as part of efforts to enhance standards and regulation of products in Nigeria.

Yahaya Bukar, the Director, Standatds Development Department, Standards Organisation of Nigeria(SON), stated this at a sensitization workshop for members of Commerce and Industry Correspondent Association of Nigeria(CICAN), in Abuja.

Bukar said the NNSS will be launched alongside other documents and standards, by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite on 17th September, 2024.

According to him, the Strategy, when launched, will be used by the citizens in judging the Standardization Plan against the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan(NIRP)and stakeholders’ requests for standard development in the country.

Bukar, who further disclosed that the NNSS earlier approved by the Standards Council of Nigeria(SCN) expired in 2022, noted that the newly reviewed Strategy will cover 2024 to 2027.

“The Nigerian National Standardization Strategy is a compendium of the standard that we intend to develop over a period of four years, so it will be the proposals of what we want to develop that will meet the aspirations of Nigerians.

“This Nigerian National standardization strategy has earlier been approved by the standard Council of Nigeria, but it has expired in 2022 and we have carried out a review. the first transformation that we have done now in the present administration, t’s goingt to cover four years from 2023.
“You know, standard is applied by importers, manufacturers, and even the end users, we all know the benefit of standards and why standard of Nigeria was set, we all know the benefit of standards, we cannot quantify it, because it is the minimum requirement for product to satisfy the end user.

Bukar further disclosed that the agency will carry out need assessment that would involve stakeholders engagement and input in working on the most relevant proposals.

He said impact assessment will also follow the development of standards by SON, in order to evaluate the level of improvement the standards has brought to the society.

“After the standards have been developed, the next thing that we’re going to do is to carry out what we call impact assessment.
How do you measure that the standard that SON has developed has actually improved life?

“How do you know? the only way to find out all the impact systems, there’s a form of design going to the market, going to all the public, to find out the standard that you have been applying, has it affected your life? What is your experience so far? “, he said.
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