Tag: SON

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has once again, mopped up substandard lubricants in different parts of the country.

It said the action became necessary after it discovered through its surveillance activities and extensive survey of the market that most lubricants in the market failed to meet quality parameters of the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS).

Its Director-General,  OsitaAboloma, at an enforcement exercise to Swiss Park, a haven known for dealing in substandard lubricants in ASPAMDA market, Lagos, said over five containers were seized.

Represented by the agency’s Coordinator, Surveillance, Intelligence and Monitoring (SIM) unit, Isa Suleiman, the DG said the products lack the chemical compositions of the oil which reduce wear and friction even in extreme conditions.

He said: “Before now, we did a lot of surveillance activities where most of the brands of this engine oils and lubricants were sampled and tested and quite a number of them failed including this particular brand we have intercepted.”

According to him the enforcement was also to safeguard Nigerians that would be travelling this Yuletide season by way of ensuring that only lubricants that meet the minimum requirement of the standards are sold in the market. He advised buyers to always insist on purchasing goods from genuine dealers while also looking out for certain marks of quality.

He said the exercise being carried out simultaneously in most of the states nationwide is being monitored by the Director-General and serves as a warning to all sellers and distributors of lubricants to desist from the illicit trade.

“This activity is just the beginning; we are going to follow up while also talking to the market leaders for self-regulation. They have all seen the need to cooperate with SON and other government regulatory agencies to ensure that products meet the required standards,” he said.

According to him, the exercise was sequel to the surveillance it carried out following tip-offs on the influx of substandard lubricants in circulation.

“Today’s outing is specifically designed to take cognisance of the fact that we have an increase in the substandard lubricants. We have conducted surveillance recently where we subjected a number of lubricants to market survey and laboratory test and a number of them failed. So, we are in the shops and other places where these substandard products were found to mop them up, but due to some logistics, the best thing we can do now is to lock them up,” he stressed.

He therefore warned erring marketers that the organization would not relent in its effort to ensure that substandard products were removed out of market and urged the public to always look out for the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) number and logo to ensure that they purchase standard and certified products.

Meanwhile, in Kano and Jigawa, some affected businesses were SACLUX Industries Ltd at Sabon Gari market and Exim Impex warehouse along Maganda Road in Kano city, where such unregistered products were found.

The exercise which also took part in Rivers and Bayelsa also witnessed SON officials swoop on Becmac Limited Lubricant Marketers in Port Harcourt, where drums of branded and unbranded lubricants were discovered.

The SON team together with NUPENG task force raided Mile One, Ikoku, Iriebe/Oyigbo axis of Port-Harcourt, where 12 shops were sealed, 16 drums, cartons and jerry cans of luv oils were quarantined.

The NUPENG leader appreciated SON efforts in ridding the market of spoilers in the line of lubricants and pledged to be of assistance to SON in carrying out its mandate.

Next stop was in Abuja where SON officials discovered the major source of substandard Mobil oil in the FCT during an operation that lasted for seven hours to trace back from the open market back to the major distributor.

The exercise led to the closure of 10 warehouses and shops within the FCT. The major distributor has nine of the ten sealed warehouses and substandard Mobil lubricants of about 700 cartons were put on hold. Other lubricants put on hold were Total lubricant suspected to be substandard, Forte oil, Ammasco, Castel oil, a foreign brand.

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has advised manufacturers to also place priority on educating their customers about how to use them.

Its Director-General, Osita Abolomen, who gave the advice during the unveiling of Simba Group’s retail store, Simba Den, in Lekki Phase One, Lagos, said this has become imperative because right use of products is one of the feedbacks the agency gets from the consumers.

Meanwhile, the agency has approved the energy solutions of company, saying the products by the company have been registered and had undergone all the procedures for import.

Represented by the Coordinator, Surveillance Intelligence and Monitoring Unit, Office of the Director General, Sulaiman Yisa, the SON chief said Simba Group normally complies with all SON’s requirements for quality assurance, but stressed the  need for companies to enlighten users on their products to enable them enjoy the quality of the products.

He said: “One of the areas of complains that can come up with products have to do with the usage and this is why we told the company that there has to be a quality after sales service and information to buyers on manual for use. These products are good but if you do not use them the right ways, some issues may arise.”

Sinba Group General Manager,, Sohan Shama, assured that their products are good brands and has been in existence for many years.

“We believe in quality products and our after sales services are also important to us. In all our products, we make sure that we have the spare arts and we have good technical team and our Engineers are trained experts.

He noted that their company brings in quality products and provides quality goods and services to consumers.

Paint manufacturers are lamenting a huge loss of revenue to adulteration, faking and merchandising of their products with high nuisance value

The out-going President, Paints Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMA), Rotimi Aluko, lamented that efforts by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON’s) Director-General, Osita Aboloma, to rid the industry of fake and substandard products through monitoring and enforcement of standards, have not yielded the desired results.

He said it was high time the agency and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), made it compulsory for all paint manufacturers to be registered with the association, given their involvement with standards for products and chemicals’ respectively.

He however stressed the preparedness of the body to continue to collaborate with the agency on the way forward in the hope that with the coming into operation of the revised standards for paints, the organisation will be able to do more to reduce the level of adulteration and faking in the paints industry.

On government’s patronage of made-in-Nigeria paints and other products, Aluko said it has not been encouraging considering the fact that government is the highest spender in the economy.

He urged the government to show example by directing all its ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure that their procurement departments buy from local manufacturers and suppliers, saying the crave for imported goods by most Nigerians, should stop.

Aluko said the lack of infrastructure, such as roads and public utilities, remains a serious challenge to the survival of paint industry and the economy, appealing that government should come up with policies that would increase patronage of locally made paints by embarking on urban renewal and modernisation in all cities.

He said the crisis in the manufacturing sector were so daunting, and called on the authority to wage a war against adulteration and faking of members’ products in collaboration with SON.

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is partnering with  the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), to checkmate the influx of substandard goods into  country.

SON’s Director-General,  Osita Aboloma, said ANLCA is one of its strongest allies to reduce the preponderance of fake and substandard goods, saying SON will intensify its engagements with operators in the maritime industry through sensitisation programmes, to combat the menace of substandard goods.

Aboloma, who spoke at a stakeholders meeting with  ANLCA members in Lagos, said with this move, the agency would also be creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, while also protecting the lives of unsuspecting consumers.

He said the agency is working relentlessly to fully automate its process to reduce the level of human interface, stressing that this would help to eradicate the use of touts to get access to its services while also ensuring seamless port operations for stakeholders in the maritime industry.

He said: “We are appealing to the operators in this industry to be forth coming in their declaration of goods so that they do not take advantage of the lacuna involved in the clearing processes. They have agreed to work with us in all sincerity while also keying into our processes to create an enabling environment for operators.

“We are trying to fully automate our processes to make it seamless, this would help to tackle some of the corrupt practices operators experience at the ports. When you automate, you have less human interface, there will be no more need to patronise touts for accessing our services.

“The fight against substandard goods starts from beyond the shores of Nigeria and that is why we have put SONCAP in place to verify the quality of products coming in. We still have to follow products that we suspect are substandard and even in the markets. Importers must insist on doing the right thing and imbibe the culture of standardisation and quality assurance so that people will have confidence in their products or services. Do the right thing to save cost and lives so that we can continually improve the lives of Nigerians through standards and quality assurance.”

Also speaking at the event, the National Vice President ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Farinto, commended SON for its relentless efforts aimed at tackling substandard goods while also restating its commitment to support the agency in its quest to rid Nigeria of substandard goods.

“We stated the challenges that we face in the course of carrying out operations at the ports, but the Director-General is very proactive where most of their processes are automated and it had so far helped us to achieve seamless operations at the ports.

The onus now lies with us to sensitise importers on the negative effect of dealing with substandard goods on the economy. We are also going to work with SON to ensure that any good that does not conform to international best practices, we will make sure that we discourage our members from clearing them at the port. Honestly we are impressed with the level of work done by the agency especially in the area of automation of their processes. Our members have been able to enjoy seamless operations at the ports,” he added.

He urged operators in the industry to be patriotic and desist from trading in substandard goods which has no economic value. The Director, Compliance, Obiora Manafa stated the association plays a big role in ensuring the safety of Nigerians and property, pointing that the SON would continually engage stakeholders to sensitise and the general public on the harmful effects of substandard goods to lives and the economy at large.

“Although they are not the importers, but they are the ones clearing these goods, so we are engaging them to sensitise importers to do the right thing and doing the right thing is complying with SON requirements, complying with standards. We are not here to stop their businesses, we are not here to destroy people’s products because when we do this, we are losing money and it is a big loss to the economy. We will not also say that because we are losing money, we should expose the unsuspecting Nigerian consumers to danger. Our meeting today is to try as much as possible to sensitise them on doing the right thing,” he said.

He said plans are underway to organise a sensitisation workshop scheduled to hold on November 5 2018 in Port Harcourt for stakeholders in the maritime industry on the need to adhere strictly to standards while also complying with regulations. This he said was to give confidence to Nigerian buyers whenever they purchase imported products while also ensuring the safety of lives and property.

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has announced plans to incentivise genuine importers who transact businesses in compliance to the minimum requirements of the Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS).

The Director General (SON), Osita Aboloma, explained that this move was in line with the present administration’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) mandate.

According to the DG, the agency would incentivise genuine importers by way of registration, reducing port charges and speedy clearance of containers.

Aboloma at a nationwide awareness programme on dangers of substandard products in circulation in Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, said,”If you are a genuine importer and you consistently do the right thing, we will reduce your processes, by extension, we have been able to assess your risk, your clearance and registration of the goods you are bringing in will come in easier and faster and at the same time, the unscrupulous importers would be blacklisted. It is my believe that this would make unscrupulous importers desist from the illicit trade of substandard goods.”

Aboloma revealed that SON will do risk profiling for the importers that gets it right. We encourage them and we have automated our processes to make it easier for them and those that defaults, we will blacklist them by sending their names to China so that they do not work with them to import fake and substandard products into the country, so it is a mere use of carrot and stick approach to fight against substandard products.”

Also speaking at the event, the president Balogun Business Association (BBA) Alex Igbokwe, said the Association would set up a standard club to the activities of unscrupulous businessmen in the market.

“We are going to flag off a standard club in the association in a bid to checkmate the activities of these importers; this would go a long way to curb the influx of fake and substandard products into the country,” he said.