The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has intensified efforts to ensure that all products manufactured within the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ) comply with national and international quality standards.
This follows the agency’s ongoing sensitisation programme for operators in the zone on its newly introduced Special Economic Zone Conformity Assessment Programme (SEZCAP) – a tailored initiative aimed at guaranteeing that products from Nigeria’s Free Trade and Special Economic Zones meet the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).
Speaking during an interactive session with operators in the CFTZ, SON’s Director-General, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, explained that the SEZCAP was developed to suit the unique operational environment of the Free Trade Zones, which he described as ‘a country within a country.’
Represented by Mr Akinware Ayodele, Deputy Director of the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), Okeke said the new framework complements SON’s existing schemes, MANCAP for locally manufactured goods and SONCAP for imported products, by addressing the peculiarities of production within the zones.
‘Our goal is to ensure that goods produced in the free trade zones meet national standards, safeguard consumers, and contribute to Nigeria’s overall economic growth,’ Okeke stated.
He commended operators who have already been certified or are in the process of certification, noting that compliance with SEZCAP will not only promote consumer protection but also enhance investor confidence and the country’s industrial competitiveness.
In her remarks, Mrs Lydia Okaba, Head of Operations, CFTZ, applauded SON for the sensitisation initiative, saying it had clarified longstanding issues surrounding the applicability of MANCAP and SONCAP within the zone.
Okaba described the SEZCAP registration process as digital, faster, and more transparent than previous systems, but appealed to SON to consider a downward review of the certification fees pegged at ?2 million annually and ?1.5 million for renewal, which she said were high given current economic challenges.
Also speaking, Mr Nanik Mirpuri, Managing Director of Combination Industries FZE, lauded the SEZCAP initiative as timely and crucial for maintaining product credibility both locally and internationally.
Mirpuri, whose company has operated in the Calabar Free Trade Zone since 1997, revealed that Combination Industries was the first to register under the SEZCAP scheme and had previously partnered with SON to develop standards for its products – a demonstration, he said, of shared commitment to quality assurance.
While commending SON’s collaboration with investors, Mirpuri called for a ‘level playing field’ between manufacturers operating inside and outside the free trade zones, urging the agency to harmonise certification costs and regulatory expectations.
‘It is important that all manufacturers, whether within or outside the free trade zones, adhere to the same quality and compliance standards to maintain fairness and competitiveness,’ he said.
The SEZCAP initiative marks a significant stride by SON towards strengthening Nigeria’s industrial ecosystem, ensuring that goods produced within the country’s free zones are not only marketable domestically but also meet global export standards.