The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Tuesday gave its Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certification to 16 manufacturing companies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the certificate presentation ceremony was held at the Arts and Culture Centre, Area 10 in Abuja.

Recipients of the MANCAP certificate cut across different sectors including manufacturers of paints, chemicals, wires and cables as well as household items and consumables.

In his speech, the Director General of SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, represented by Dr Justin Nickaf, the SON’s Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, said the MANCAP certification was a mandatory requirement for local manufacturers.

He said that MANCAP certification was a seal to show that a locally manufactured product had met the requirements of the relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) to protect the health and safety of consumers.

“The 16 manufacturers whose products received MANCAP certificates of conformity today and have gone through this compelling quality journey and their products have been found fit for use.

“They are quality ambassadors whose products have earned the MANCAP certification through dint of hard work and consistency of production to defined requirements in terms and conditions for product certification.”

According him, the product certification process involves assessing manufacturer’s production system and facilities and selecting representative samples of finished products for testing in International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO 17025) accredited laboratories.

He said that the aim was to entrench a culture of quality and continual improvement in the companies’ products, and to demonstrate to consumers that such products had undergone rigorous audit and testing process.

The DG however advised the recipients to ensure that the certification mark was applied only to products that complied with the requirements.

He said that regular inspection and auditing was required for the manufacturers to retain their product ‘certified’ status.

“Any violation of the product certification terms and conditions will attract serious consequence including seizure and destruction of the products, possible suspension or outright withdrawal of certification.”

In his remark, Mr kalu Ijomah, the Managing Director of Pukinosis Chemical Company Ltd., who spoke on behalf of the recipients, promised to work toward maintaining the MANCAP certified status.

“Our interaction with SON has put us in a position to know that MANCAP certification is not a one stop thing ,and we promise to keep the set standards at all times.”

Ijomah however called on government authorities at all levels to champion the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products so that ordinary Nigerians could emulate them.

Earlier in his remark, the FCT coordinator of SON, Mr Gambo Dimka expressed joy that the feat was an indication that Nigerian manufactures were striving to make their products acceptable globally.

“This further shows that the manufacturing sector, especially in Abuja is growing in compliant with SON standards.

“We highly recommend the products of these companies that received this certification today to the Nigerian market and beyond because they are up to global standards.”

Dimka urged the awardees to see the certificate as a propeller that would motivate and encourage them to provide good quality products for the consumers at all times.

NAN reports that representatives of NAFDAC, Consumers Protection Council, Nigeria Export Promotion Council as well as local manufactures were present at the event. (NAN)

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