The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said that the African Quality Mark (ARSO Dual Mark) certification will enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products across the African continent and improve access to regional markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, stated this on Thursday during the presentation of African Quality Mark certificates to selected Nigerian companies in Abuja.
According to Okeke, the certification serves as a practical demonstration of compliance with harmonised African standards and assures consumers and trading partners of the safety, quality, reliability and performance of certified products.
“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,” he said.
He noted that the initiative aligns with SON’s mandate of standardisation, quality assurance, certification and consumer protection.
The SON chief emphasised that harmonised standards have become increasingly important as Africa advances the implementation of AfCFTA, noting that common standards help reduce technical barriers to trade and eliminate the burden of multiple certification requirements across different 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.
Okeke reaffirmed SON’s commitment to supporting manufacturers through standards development, product certification, laboratory testing, inspection and market surveillance activities.
He added that the organisation was intensifying awareness campaigns to encourage manufacturers to comply with harmonised African standards as a key requirement for export readiness.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Export Expansion, Mr Aliyu Sheriff, described quality standards and certification as critical tools for improving Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
According to him, strong standards provide the foundation for consumer confidence, industrial growth and export success.
Sheriff noted that the Federal Government’s efforts to develop Nigeria’s halal economy also depend on robust certification systems and adherence to 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 businesses to regard standards compliance not merely as a regulatory requirement but as a strategic tool for attracting investment, increasing exports and improving competitiveness.
Former Governor of Kano State and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, also stressed the importance of quality in national development.
“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 do,” he said.
Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr Jani Ibrahim, described the dual certification initiative as a significant milestone in promoting African-made products.
Represented by Dr Ola Michael, Ibrahim said certification serves as a “passport of trust” that guarantees wider acceptance of products across African markets.
He noted that AfCFTA has created a single market of more than 1.3 billion people with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeding 3.4 trillion dollars.
“However, Nigeria will only benefit fully from this historic agreement if we export high-quality, value-added and competitive products,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Chris Isokpunwu, said quality remains central to the ministry’s food security agenda.
According to him, food security goes beyond availability and affordability to include the consumption of safe and nutritious food.
He added that certification of agricultural products under the dual quality mark would strengthen consumer confidence and support Nigeria’s agricultural value chains.
Stakeholders at the event commended SON and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) for promoting harmonised standards across the continent and strengthening Africa’s quality infrastructure.
They also urged more Nigerian manufacturers to embrace standards compliance as a pathway to export growth, industrial competitiveness and greater participation in regional trade under AfCFTA.
