Business
Compliance to standards will make Nigerian products globally competitive – SON

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said locally produced goods must adhere strictly to standards to be competitive globally.
The Director General of SON, Malam Farouk Salim, stated this at the flagging off of a campaign tagged “Standardisation; Panacea for economic growth” in Enugu. (When?).
The SON boss said that adhering strictly to standardisation and quality assurance would make Nigerian products and services more acceptable at the international market.
Salim, represented by the SON Director South-East Operations, Mr Fred Akingbesote, said when all products and services conformed to standards, the country and her people would benefit tremendously from it.
He explained that there was standard for every product or service, adding that upholding standardisation even in service industry of hospitality, tourism and hotel would create international markets and patronage for such services.
The SON boss said standardisation would also lead to cost reduction, less effort on production, strengthen brands and make it convenient and easy for customers to recognise and pick quality products and services.
“If you see any product with SONCAP certification logo, rest assured that you have got a product with quality and satisfaction guaranteed.
“It provides a company with a competitive edge in the market. “Manufacturers and service providers need to ensure that their products and services meet the right specifications and deliver on their customers’ expectations.
“When a company assesses its products and services in accordance with relevant standards, this helps the company to adapt to the latest market trends regarding quality.
“And avoid the costs related to product returns, buyer complaints, and loss of goodwill in local, regional, and international markets,” the SON DG said.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the SON DG, Chief Duru Emeka, who doubles as coordinator of the sensitisation, said it was part of the agency efforts to take culture of standardisation to the grassroots.
“Once the people in rural areas imbibed standardisation as a way of life, the fight against influx of substandard products is almost won.
“We need collaborative efforts to tackle the menace,” he said.
Duru said that Nigerian products were produced in line with international best practices and enjoy global competitiveness in line with the organisation’s quality infrastructure strategy under the able leadership of Mallam Farouk Salim.
“This will reduce the rejection of some of our products at export market, increase industrialisation and wealth creation,” Duru said
Duru subsequently urged the participants to consider the sensitisation workshop as an opportunity to broaden their scope saying, Enugu is the first to benefit from this particular sensitisation series.
He charged stakeholders to remain committed and focused on ensuring standardisation at all times.
The stakeholders in the manufacturing, consumption, service and allied businesses commended SON for the workshop.
The stakeholders also urged the organisation to extend its services to the grassroots.
They were of the view that once the message of standardisation is achieved even at the local communities, it would in turn have a positive socio-economic effect on the country in general.
Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr Godwin Anigbo, urged SON to extend its services to the grassroots by creating more awareness on standardisation of products and services.
“We need robust engagement with the people at the grassroots in the local areas to enable them know how they can attain and maintain internationally acceptable standard for any endeavour they engage in.
“Once majority of our local people start doing the right things and getting it right; our products and services will be the best internationally and the country will be better for it,” Anigbo said.
Mr Felix Odoh, Deputy Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Enugu State, said that SON could leverage the spread of NOA officials scattered in the 774 council areas to reach Nigerians even in their localities.
“This sensitisation and enlightenment should go beyond here and get more Nigerians, especially the people at the grassroots to know the standard for all they produce at their localities,” Odoh said.
A consumer, Mrs Vivian Offor, said that the sensitisation would make more meaning if those at the local areas, whose extract raw materials add value to them could achieve quality standardisation.
“Something as simple as palm oil should be produced to standard with good packing to ensure better value and more gain for the ordinary Nigerians that engage in such endeavours,” Offor said.
Managing Director of Enugu State Investment Development Authority, Dr Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, had earlier lauded SON for its consistence on its engagement of Nigerians to do the right thing and reposition the country’s economy.
“The issue of standardisation is important and it will be helpful to everybody and we must key into it.
”This is the only way to ensure we grow our economy and ensure conformity of our products and services,” Ogbu-Nwobodo said.
An Enugu-based manufacturer, Sir Eric Chime, noted that manufacturers and SON were both partners in progress, adding that SON had continued to ensure Nigerian products met international standard and acceptability.
“Apart from meeting international conformity and acceptability, standardisation also help the consumer not to be short-changed and quality guaranteed at all time.
“Standardisation also leads to better profit and international market opening for the manufactured products,” said Chime, who is the Chief Executive Officer of RICO Group of Companies manufacturers of petro-chemical products, said.
Mrs Ijeoma Ezeazor, representative of the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ahmed Mansur and Chairman, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States of MAN, made a presentation on “Expanding Products Market Share via Standards”.
She urged the Federal Government to support in the fight against substandard products.
She noted that the menace was detrimental to the government efforts to industrial growth.
“ Our products can’t compete favorably with the low cheap products from some countries.
“We are in partnership with SON to address the problem,” she said.
Other SON officials also made presentations on MANCAP and Certification; SONCAP and Registration as well as Import and Export Requirements and “Driving Industrialisation with Quality Products”.
The sensitisation also witnessed question and answer sessions as well as goodwill messages from the Nigeria Immigration Service; National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps among others.
Business
I’m honoured, excited over World Bank’s appointment – Dangote

I’m honoured, excited over World Bank’s appointment – Dangote
President and CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has expressed gratitude following his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, a global initiative aimed at accelerating private investment and job creation in emerging economies.
In a statement confirming the development, Dangote described the appointment as both an honour and a reflection of his long-standing commitment to economic development through private enterprise.
“I am both honoured and excited to accept my appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, dedicated to advancing investment and employment in emerging economies,” Dangote said.
“This opportunity aligns with my long-standing commitment to sustainable development and unlocking the potential of developing economies.”
He referenced the successes of the so-called Asian Tigers, economies that experienced rapid growth through strategic investment, as a source of inspiration for advancing similar outcomes in other parts of the world.
The World Bank announced Dangote’s inclusion on Wednesday as part of a broader expansion of the Lab, which enters a new phase focused on scaling up solutions that attract private capital and generate employment in developing countries.
Other newly appointed members include Bill Anderson, CEO of Bayer AG; Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises; and Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
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World Bank Group President Ajay Banga noted that the expanded membership underscores the institution’s focus on integrating private-sector leadership into its strategy for global job creation.
“With the expanded membership, we are mainstreaming this work across our operations and tying it directly to the jobs agenda that is driving our strategy,” Banga said.
“This isn’t about altruism—it’s about helping the private sector see a path to investments that will deliver returns, and lift people and economies alike. It’s central to our mandate.”
The lab, which was co-chaired in 2023 by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, previously sought to mobilise £1 trillion in sustainable investment, particularly targeting energy transition projects in emerging markets.
Aviation
Air Peace suspends flights nationwide over NiMet strike

Air Peace suspends flights nationwide over NiMet strike
Air Peace has suspended all its flight operations across the country due to the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The airline said in a statement on Wednesday that it was also suspending operations due to the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings.
“Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over,” Air Peace said.
“Your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates as the situation unfolds.”
The airline had earlier announced that the NiMet strike could lead to flight delays and cancellations across its network.
Air Peace added that it was monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders to minimise the impact on customers’ travel plans.
Employees of NiMet commenced a nationwide indefinite strike over welfare issues on Wednesday.
Some of the issues raised involve “NiMet’s refusal to negotiate or implement agreed financial allowances and unresolved entitlements,” including wage awards, peculiar allowances, and outstanding payments from the 2019 minimum wage.
They also accused the management of the agency of withholding important documents, ignoring requests for inclusion of omitted staff in past payments, and neglecting key training programmes in favour of executive retreats.
Business
Nigeria’s gas production increases by 15.6% to 227,931.65 mscf

Nigeria’s gas production increases by 15.6% to 227,931.65 mscf
Nigeria’s gas output has increased 15,6 percent month-on-month, MoM, to 227,931.65 million standard cubic feet, mscf, in March 2025.
But on year-on-year, YoY basis, the nation’s gas output recorded a marginal increase to 227,931.65 mscf in March 2025, from 198,353.62 mscf, recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Gas Production Status reports indicated that of the total of 227,931.65 mscf produced in March 2025, 119,552.75 mscf was associated while 108,378.90 mscf was non-associated gas.
Associated gas is extracted in the process of producing crude oil while non-associated gas is produced without crude oil after much investment, exploration and development.
The Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), which is directly involved in the development of policies, targeted at increasing investment in the sector said efforts have been made to increase investment and production of gas in Nigeria.
Similarly, in its recent report obtained by Vanguard, the Nigerian LNG Limited stated: “We are fully committed to expanding our operations with the NLNG Train 7 Project, which will boost our production capacity by 35%, increasing from 22 Million Tonnes Per Annum (mtpa) to 30 mtpa. This project underscores our role as a key player in the global LNG market and positions Nigeria as a top-tier supplier of LNG, leveraging its vast proven gas reserves of 202 trillion cubic feet (the 9th largest globally).
Vanguard
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