The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Mallam Farouk Salim, has said that the agency will not compromise its efforts aimed at standardising products manufactured by the micro, small and medium enterprises.
This was the position of the Director General, SON, Farouk Salim, in Lagos over the weekend during a pre- World Standards Day press briefing, according to a statement.
Salim said the issue of providing standards for MSMEs was non-negotiable in view of the crucial roles they played in the economy.
He said, “SMEs are easily accessible as they operate very close to our homes and offices. The most feasible ways to bring their growth to bear on Nigerians is to provide standards for their activities.”
While speaking on plans by SON to integrate all sectors of the economy into its programmes, Salim said that SMEs played crucial roles in the economy, describing them as undeniable agents of growth.
Salim noted the need to provide effective standards for an estimated 40m SMEs and further assist them in breaking the barriers against them in the face of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
The director-general said issues such as discrimination and outright rejection suffered by made-in-Nigerian goods at the international market would become a forgone issue once the activities of MSMEs operating in the country were standardised by SON.
Salim advised the operators in the country to strive to attain international standards in order to make their products attractive and compelling in the global market, stressing that by doing so, SMEs would be able bring more foreign exchange into the country.
He further said the agency had trained operators in the past, adding that it would, in conjunction with the Office of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, provide more support for the growth of SMEs.
