Abuja: The Federal Government has inaugurated the governing board of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as part of its efforts to boost industrial growth and attract investment.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, inaugurated the board in Abuja on Thursday. She congratulated the new board members and described their appointment as timely for Nigeria’s economic transformation.
She stated that inaugurating the board is part of a coordinated government drive to strengthen industrialisation, increase investment, and advance value chains under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said the World Bank’s recent endorsement signals global recognition of these reforms, creating higher expectations for SON to deliver concrete economic results.
According to her, the SON Act mandates the board to set and monitor quality standards for goods, ensure compliance in both local manufacturing and imports, and facilitate Nigerian products’ access to regional and global markets under AfCFTA.
She acknowledged challenges in production, such as infrastructure deficits, security concerns, and operational bottlenecks. She assured that the government was addressing these through coordinated reforms and policies.
The minister urged the board to strengthen oversight, close implementation gaps, and ensure that locally produced, imported, and exported goods meet international standards to enhance competitiveness.
She stressed the need for collaboration between the governing board and SON management. She added that an effective partnership would improve productivity, increase exports and create jobs across key sectors.
She expressed confidence that the new board will drive crucial reforms and accelerate Nigeria’s industrialisation through innovation and disciplined leadership.
She wished the members a productive tenure focused on delivering results for economic growth and national development.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, said the upcoming Nigeria Industrial Policy would place more responsibility on SON. He said SON must ensure product quality and competitiveness in local and international markets.
Enoh said that Nigeria’s ambition to become an industrial hub required strong enforcement of standards to enable locally manufactured products to compete with foreign goods and reduce the influx of counterfeit products.
He urged the board and management to actively collaborate, stressing that unity and a steadfast commitment to the SON Act are essential. He called on them to take concrete steps to fulfil government expectations and drive Nigeria’s industrial growth.
Speaking on behalf of the members, Mr Yahuza Inuwa, Chairman of the governing board, thanked the two ministers, the ministry’s management, and the President for the opportunity to serve the country.
Inuwa assured that the members would focus on setting standards, overseeing enforcement, and ensuring SON’s mandates and objectives are achieved.
