Producers of agro-allied products in Nigeria have received the requisite skills and tools to enable them to compete with their counterparts all over the world.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), which extended the empowerment exercise, noted that the move is in line with the present administration’s plans to diversify the nation’s economy away from hydrocarbon resources.
Director-General/Chief Executive, SON, Faruok Salim, disclosed that Nigeria’s agro-allied products are sellable across the world, insisting that the body would not compromise its standards in its effort to make locally made goods competitive on the global scene.
He said the organisation, in a bid to support the economic diversification agenda of the present administration, will continue to intensify efforts to sensitise producers of agro-allied products across the country on strict compliance with SON’s standards on selling across the world.
Represented by the Director Southwest, SON, Talatu Ethan, at the workshop titled, Standard Adherence: Catalyst for Trade, held in Osun state, he said the organisation is at the forefront of driving diversification as a means of generating revenue, especially from overseas.
“Nigeria’s products are just trying to gain global acceptance, the Federal Government and regulatory bodies are working with stakeholders to ensure that whatever they produce can meet up with the specifications of foreign countries,” he said.
“The objective of this workshop is to create awareness of the importance of standards to ensure that manufacturers, producers and processors meet up with the minimum requirements of global standards; we have standards for foodstuff and this cuts across all locally manufactured goods. Looking at the focus of this administration which is food security, our role is to train, educate and create awareness among manufacturers and industry players on quality production.
“Mandatory conformity assessments will prepare local producers to produce products that meet up with the minimum requirement of local and global standards so that the products can compete with foreign products. We must encourage and support them to produce quality and safe products,” he said.