The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says the African Quality Mark (ARSO Dual Mark) certification will enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products across the continent.

The Director-General of SON, Ifeanyi Okeke, said this at the presentation of the African Quality Mark certificates to Nigerian companies in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the director-general, the certification will also facilitate Nigerian products’ access to markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He described the certification as a practical demonstration of compliance with harmonised African standards, assuring consumers and trading partners of product safety, quality, reliability and performance.

He stated, “The initiative aligns with SON’s mandate of standardisation, quality assurance, certification and consumer protection. The African Quality Mark represents a practical demonstration of compliance with harmonised African standards.

“It assures consumers and trading partners that products meet agreed requirements for safety, quality, reliability and performance across the continent.”

The SON boss said harmonised standards had become increasingly important as Africa advanced the implementation of AfCFTA.

He also said that common standards would reduce technical barriers to trade and eliminate the burden of multiple certification requirements faced by manufacturers in different African markets.

According to him, harmonised standards provide industries with a unified framework for production, conformity assessment and market acceptance.

“The companies receiving these certifications today are no longer limited to the Nigerian market; they now have access to the wider African market,” he said.

The SON director general reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigerian manufacturers through standards development, product certification, laboratory testing, inspection and market surveillance activities.

He added that the organisation was also intensifying awareness among manufacturers on the importance of complying with harmonised African standards as a strategic requirement for export readiness.

Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Export Expansion, Aliyu Sheriff, said quality standards and certification remained critical to boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.

Mr Sheriff said strong standards formed the foundation of consumer confidence, industrial growth and export success.

He also said that the federal government’s efforts to develop Nigeria’s halal economy also depended on robust certification systems and compliance with international standards.

“The global halal market, valued in trillions of dollars, is built on integrity, traceability, quality assurance and compliance with standards.

“Whether in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or logistics, certification systems are essential for unlocking opportunities in the global halal economy,” he said.

He urged Nigerian businesses to view standards compliance not merely as regulatory obligations but as strategic tools for attracting investment, increasing exports and improving competitiveness.

Similarly, a former governor of Kano State and ex-national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, described quality as a critical ingredient for national development.

Mr Ganduje said that while Nigeria had abundant human resources, greater emphasis should be placed on improving quality across all sectors.

“The issue of quality is very important. We have quantity, but there must also be quality. This forum is important because it encourages excellence in whatever we are doing,” he said.

In the same vein, the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Jani Ibrahim, described the dual certification initiative as a landmark achievement in promoting African-made products.

Mr Ibrahim, represented by Ola Michael, said that certification served as a “passport of trust” that guaranteed wider acceptance of products across African markets.

He noted that the AfCFTA had created a single market of more than 1.3 billion people with a combined gross domestic product of over $3.4 trillion.

“However, Nigeria will only benefit fully from this historic agreement if we export high-quality, value-added and competitive products,” he said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chris Isokpunwu, said quality remained central to the ministry’s food security agenda.

He said that food security was not only about availability and affordability but also the consumption of safe and nutritious food.

According to him, the certification of agricultural products under the dual quality mark will strengthen consumer confidence and support Nigeria’s agricultural value chains.

Meanwhile, stakeholders commended SON and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) for promoting harmonised standards across the continent and strengthening Africa’s quality infrastructure.

They urged more Nigerian manufacturers to embrace standards compliance as a pathway to export growth, industrial competitiveness and increased participation in regional trade under AfCFTA.

(NAN)