SON tasks importers on manufacturing

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged importers to venture into manufacturing to create wealth and job opportunities for the nation's teeming unemployed youths.

The  Director General,  SON, Osita Aboloma said that the importer should make efforts to establish manufacturing and assembling of electronic products  to boost trade.

Aboloma said such initiative would ho a long to save the country's foreign exchange since most of what is imported into the country can be manufactured locally.

He advised importers to get the required standards to make their products competitive, noting that with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) accented by President, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian manufacturers must up their game so as not to be overwhelmed by foreign goods.

Aboloma was represented  by the Director, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, Mr Obiora Manafa, at a one day sensitisation programme with importers and pdealers of electronics in Alaba international market in Lagos.

He said adhering to standards was the surest way to bring back the glory days of Alaba international market.

He expressed SON's readiness to work with local manufacturers to make their goods exportable in a bid to earn foreign exchange  and boost the Nigerian economy

He said, "Instead of faking established brands, build your own brands and make money from it. We are also advising them to go into manufacturing, we cannot continue to depend on import of electronic products. 

" For example, Made in Nigerian cable is one of the best  all over the world. The electronic  products  importers should emulate the cable sector by going into manufacturing.

" We are open anytime to help you to  in selecting tmaterials and  equipment for you start producing. This is better for you and for the economy at large."

According to him, the fight against substandard products is a big one, saying that a lot of unscrupulous are been made to face the law for dealing in substandard products to serve as deterrent to importers who have intentions to indulge in the nefarious act.

He pointed out that SON has in its warehouse substandard electric cables waiting for court order to be destroyed, while also restating it's commitment to bringing down the influx of substandard goods into the country.

"We are ust waiting for the court order to destroy, while we have obtained court orders for some of them, very soon we are going to do destruction so that people will see the extent we have gone in this fight and we are not going to relent on our effort in our fight against substandard product. It is a very huge market filled with a lot of smugglers bringing in goods without SONCAP certificates. We fish out these people by going to their warehouses and even outside the market. It is a continous fight and we are really making progress," he added.

He stated that the electronic dealers have agreed to join hands with SON to fish out the bad eggs giving Alaba international market a bad name, saying that the workshop was aimed at bringing back the lost glory of the biggest market in West Africa.

He said in line with the federal government's commitment to creating an enabling environment for the ease of doing business in Nigeria, the agency has come to further demonstrate its deep commitment to continual improvement in products and services delivery.

He added that SON has made concerted efforts to facilitate trade and fast track the import process by upgrading its portals to be functionally active, reduce its service charges, reduced the turn around time through automation and currently test-running the deployment of electronic demand notes, receipts and cargo clearance to reduce the turnaround time and human contact in its service delivery.

Earlier, the president, Alaba International Amalgamated Trader Association and Executive Chairman, Electrical Dealers Association of Nigeria (EDAN), commended SON's integrity, capacity for work and tireless contribution and encouragement toward ensuring that the market stands out as an exemplary leading market with quality assurance practices.

He highlighted that the agency's sensitisation visits have created great positive impact in its industry, stating the association's readiness to collaborate with SON to drive its zero tolerance for substandard imports programme.

"We are here for you as brothers, friends and partners in progress to comply and collaborate with you to ensure product quality and standard and at the same time look forward for an up-to-date information on standardisation and its benefits, advice and assistance on your product quality management for an improved cost effectiveness and adequate technical support to match the quality required for competitiveness in global trade," he said.

He appealed to SON to regulate the movement, arrest and closure of warehouses by working with the office of the Executive Chairman of the association.

The president general, EDAN, High Chief, Stephen Agabige, commended SON's enforcement activities in the market, saying that before now it was very difficult to sanitise the electrical market, but for the intervention of SON it is gradually winning the war.

"When they came here last week, we took them round in our bid to show our support to SON and to say that we are not in support of fake products in our market. We showed them the people who indulge in fake products. We also have a committee established to ensure sanity in our market. We have also given them more power to carry out their duties and in two or three weeks time, every product in our market will be original," he said.

He urged dealers to do the right thing, alluding that the sensitisation was an eye opener for most importers to make them competitive.

Over 700 participants attended the events

Air Peace begins flight to Warri

Nigerian and West African largest carrier, Air Peace on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019 began flight operations from Lagos to Warri,in Delta State

The airline's inaugural flight which took off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, Lagos touched down at the Osubi Airport , Warri at 11.15pm.

The ERJ-145 aircraft piloted by Capt. Crosby Otobo was welcomed with a water guard salute by fire fighters stationed at the airport .

Mr Allen Onyema, Air Peace Chief Executive Officer, said the move by the airline to extend its operations to Warri was part of the airline's no-city-left-behind project 

Onyema, represented by Mr Adeyemi Ayodeji, Manager, Ground Operations, Air Peace, said Warri was the 14th city the airline was operating into in Nigeria.

"We want to assure our passengers that this is just the beginning. We have plans to introduce flights from Warri to Port Harcourt and also from Warri to Abuja, " he said.

Onyema said the airline operates to five regional locations in West Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Senegal) and had on July 5, 2019 began flight operations to Sharjah- Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

According to him, Mumbai in India and Guangzhou , China will soon come on board as part of the airline's expansion on the international routes with its fleet of B777 aircraft.

He said the flight to Warri would be once daily and assured the Air Peace passengers of on-time departure and safety which were very key to the airline's operations.

Receiving the airline's officials, Mr Paul Erugbenu, Chairman, Osubi Community and the Community Secretary, Comrade Williams Eyarunu, thanked Air Peace for extending their operations to the airport.

Also, passengers on board the inaugural flight who were gifted various items by Air Peace expressed delight with the development noting that it would make the route more competitive for the airlines thereby reducing air fares.

Increase in tariff not panacea to Nigeria power sector's problems, says expert

An energy expert, Dr Damola Omole, Head, Power and Energy Strategy, Dangote Industries, says increasing electricity tariff will not solve the the problems bedevilling the power sector in Nigeria.

 Omole made the assertion on Wednesday at the ongoing Power Nigeria Agenda Exhibition organised by Informa markets in Lagos.

Omole said increasing the tariff would only amount to funding inefficiency, adding that the Federal Government should intensify efforts to encourage more players to invest in the sector.

He said the government should dilute the Distribution Companies to minority stake and thereafter sell its major stake to more credible players.

According to him, consumers should be metered before effecting tariff increases as estimated billing is generally unfair.

Omole also urged the government to look into the issue of supply and cost of gas to the thermal power plants in order to reduce the over N7.5 trillion lost annually to irregular power supply.

He noted the country's manufacturing sector was worst hit by the irregular supply with about 17 million small and medium scale businesses spending over N2 trillion annually in running generating sets.

Omole said: "Manufacturers only get seven hours of supply on average with the balance of over two-third self sourced.

"Grid supply should be 20,000MW for manufacturing sector to thrive but supply is currently less than 4,000MW.

"Grid power supply is irregular and unpredictable for manufacturing processes."

He explained that electricity consumed through alternative means cost N78 per kilowatt while supply from the grid was at N32 per kilowatt , thus increasing the cost of production for manufacturers.

According to him, the ripple effects of power shortages include reduced production, job losses, outright closure of factories or relocation to other African countries.

Omole noted that the power sector reforms  had failed to yield the desired result due to the failure of the generating companies,the transmission company and the distribution companies to align for a common purpose.

He said the lack of synergy between the layers in the energy value chain had resulted in over 2,000MW of electricity not been supplied to the end users by the distribution companies.

Omole also decried the lack of industrial clusters across the country which would have been of great benefit to Nigeria manufacturers and enable them compete with their contemporaries outside the country.

On his part, Mr Gareth Rapley , Group Exhibition Director, Informa market, said the exhibition which had over 130 local and international exhibitors was put in place to find solutions to the challenges facing the power sector in Nigeria.

Rapley noted that the energy problem was not peculiar to Nigeria and could be overcome with collaboration between the government and the private sector. 

He said the conference therefore was an opportunity for players in the energy sector to dialogue and exchange ideas on how best to address the issues confronting the sector.

Nigeria Adopts 10 standards to boost oil and gas industry

Industry demands and the need to keep up with best international practices in the Oil and Gas sector in Nigeria has spurred Standards Organisation of Nigeria into paving the way to adopt ten America Petroleum Institute(API) Standards for the nation.

This was disclosed by the Director General/ Chief Executive Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Osita Aboloma Esq. during a joint Technical Committee (TC)meeting on Oil and Gas / Petroleum and Petro Chemicals convened in Lagos recently

Speaking at the meeting, the Director General SON, represented by the Director Standards Development Mrs. Chinyere Egwuonwu revealed that all the standards are critically relevant to operations in the Oil and Gas industry, hence the need to adopt them in collaboration with the stakeholders as Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS)

According to him, adopting of international standards as national standard is not a new development, especially where the standards are elaborated by global leaders such as API who since 1919 have established a clout for convening subject matter experts in establishing, maintaining and distributing consensus standards for the oil and gas industry.

He further indicated that, “the API standards being adopted today are recognised not only for their technical specifications but also for their third party accreditation which facilitates acceptance by international bodies and has been a cornerstone in developing standards for the worldwide oil and natural gas industry.”

However, Aboloma cautioned that “in adopting international standards we must ensure that the standards are not in conflict with our statutory regulatory requirements and special consideration should be on or environmental factors, economic considerations, security of products, national interest and most of all global best practices.”

According to Aboloma, the nation’s oil industry does not exist in isolation therefore the standards adopted will ensure the availability of the NIS, enhancing market competiveness, prevention of dumping of goods, promoting export and a reliable basis for technological transfer and industrial development.

The Joint Chairmen of the TCs, on Oil and Gas/ Petroleum and Petrochemicals, Prof Joseph Ajienka of the University of Port-Harcourt and Prof Sunday Ojolo of University of Lagos sitting in for Prof Boniface Okorie of the UNN respectively, in their varying capacities spoke separately during the meeting

They both appreciated the DG SON for giving them the opportunity to serve, while exhorting all the participants to carry out what was described as a call to national duty with zeal and ensuring their comments and contributions are vibrant and robust enough to achieve the purpose of the TC

The API Standards adopted and rechristened NIS include are as follows:
API RP 50 2013 Natural Gas Processing Plant Practices for Protection of the Environment

API RP 520; 2014 Sizing, selection and Installation of Pressure-relieving devices in Refineries Part 1 Sizing and selection
API RP 520 2: 2015, Sizing, Selection and Installation of Pressure- Relieving Devices in Refineries Part II Installation
API 553: 2012 Refinery Valves and Accessories for Control and Safety Instrumented Systems
API 554: 2007 Process Instrumentation and Control

API 12L: 2008 Specification for Vertical and Horizontal Emulsion Treaters
API 2000:2014 Venting Atmospheric and Low –Pressure Storage Tanks
API 12F:2008 Specifications for Shop-Welded Tanks for Storage of Production Liquids
API 12D: 2008 Specification for Field Welded Tanks for Storage of Production Liquids
API STD 610: 2011 Centrifugal Pumps for Petroleum Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries.

Mr Agboola Afolayan, Deputy Director Standards Development / Head Chemical-Tech moderated the proceedings of the day while Engr Oljuie Head Lagos 1 office / Group Head LPG Engr. Nwaoma Olujie was also on hand to support in driving the process which culminated in the adoption of the API standards

Stakeholders represented from the oil sector include representatives of, Cakasa Nig Comp. Ltd., Peachlite Eng. Consulting Services, Winelight Analytical Systems, Lopa Energy Ltd. Addax Petroleum, Dorman Long Engineering, Mobil Producing Nigeria and agencies like Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers, FIIRO, Nigeria Institute of Mechanical Engineering and the Nigerian Institute of Welders.

AfCFTA: MAN, SON Partners to Checkmate Illegal Trade Deals

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have partnered to checkmate illegal trade deals that might exist since Nigeria recently signed African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) .

Although, the president, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN),  Mr Mansur Ahmed stated that the agreement would open lots of opportunities for the Nigerian economy, but stated that it comes with potential threats and challenges where unscrupulous dealers in substandard goods would hide under it to bring in fake and substandard goods.

To address this challenge, he called on the present administration to empower SON in terms of human, technological and institutional capacity  in a bid to combat dumping post AfCFTA.

In his words, “I believe this creates a new demand for SON and other regulators to scale up their activities to prevent dumping. By doing this, we are not protecting the interest of only the Nigerian manufacturers, but the African manufacturers at large.

"It requires an even greater cooperation with stakeholders such as MAN. I believe this is what the agency is working on now and we will certainly support any effort in this regard.”

He added: “SON has built capacity, they have incorporated new technology in their work, but also the challenges in the ports have increased and with the signing of the AfCFTA there will be more challenges that would be facing SON. I think returning SON to the ports is something we should look at.”

According to him, plans are ongoing to sign a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SON which would enable both parties to work more extensively, while also addressing issues confronting the manufacturing sector.

“The MoU would address all issues as they arise in a continuous basis, because it is not something we can do once and forget about, we will be interfacing SON continuously and therefore, we need to find a framework which will be provided by the MoU that will enable us to resolve issues as they come without creating challenges to operators or regulators,” he said.

“This is a meeting we should have had a very long time ago. The importance of this meeting to MAN is very clear where we now have a basis to understand the objective and requirements of SON with regards to ensuring continuous quality of products not just for the ones manufactured locally, but also imported, because this ensures a market that we can compete effectively.

"We have had for too long substandard goods being imported into the country which does lots of harm to our economy and specifically to our operations in the sector and I think with this kind of collaboration and cooperation with the regulator and the industry.

"I believe that the possibility of reducing the importation of substandard goods would be brought down to the barest minimum,” he said.

The Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma, said the meeting was aimed at safeguarding the local manufacturers to achieve accelerated industrial development, saying that SON and MAN’s robust relationship have spun over the years.

He pointed out that the standards body is also working with MAN as a team to protect the manufacturing sector against the influx of substandard products.

He said going forward, any importer who abuse the import permit given to manufacturers to import raw materials and machinery for local production would be answerable to SON.

Aboloma added: “Like every other sectors, there are bound to be bad eggs who take advantage of loopholes by importing finished products instead of raw materials and machinery. We have also agreed that anybody that takes advantage of this window to import finished products instead of raw materials that we have given concession to will be answerable to us in his personal capacity, he will no longer be sheltered under the concession given to MAN.”

“Import permit is different from SONCAP that is more rigorous for people to bring in goods into the country. So when you have permit to bring in machinery or raw material, but if you bring in finished products, it is illegal whether it is substandard or quality because you have already abused the system, you are not only taking advantage of it to bring in substandard products, but also shortchanging the federal government revenue to earn foreign exchange.  

"We  have perfected plans to sign an MoU to checkmate the lacuna, fashion out definite rules of engagement between SON and members of MAN,” he said.

Air Peace Captain Debunks Report Saying Aircraft Landed Without Tyres

 

Simisola Ajibola, the captain who operated the Air Peace flight on July 23, which had nose wheel collapse, has debunked reports, saying the aircraft landed without tyres.

 

She said the incident, which took place at the international runway of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, happened after the aircraft touched down.

 

“We had a very serviceable aircraft. Our aircraft are machines that are well maintained. It wasn’t the first flight of that day. When we flew the aircraft it was perfectly in good shape.

 

“The report about initial landing without tyres is not true. The incident happened after we touched down.  I didn’t go into the air without tyres, we weren’t on a decent without tyres. Some reports say we called for emergency while in the air and that is not true. It was after we landed we asked for emergency services. So whatever happened, happened on the runway that day,” Ajibola added. 

 

However, Tunji Oketunbi, corporate communications manager, Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB) said the bureau has begun investigation into the issue and will come up with preliminary reports soon.

“It is a cumbersome process. Some components have been retrieved from the airline to help with the investigation. So it will take some time but we are doing everything possible to ensure the report is out sooner than expected,” Oketunbi added. 

 

SON Seizes N38m Worth of Substandard Galvanised Roofing Sheets

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has stormed a ware house in Ogba area of Lagos to clamp down on a dealer who imports and produces substandard galvanised roofing sheet into the country.

The Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma, represented by the Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, Engr. Obiora Manafa, said the move was to serve as a deterrent to unscrupulous importers and manufacturers who indulge in illicit trade, saying that there is no hiding place for substandard goods in the country.

Recall that the agency recently seized over N200 million worth of substandard aluminium roofing sheet in Uyo.

Manafa added that the seized galvanised roofing sheet in Lagos  is worth over N38 million, adding that SON will stop at nothing to ensure that only goods that conform to the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS) are allowed to thrive in the Nigerian market.

He explained that the roofing sheets fell below the NIS 180 standard for galvanised roofing sheets which stipulates the minimum thickness for roofing sheet to be 0.15mm.

In his words, “The objective is to evacuate substandard roofing sheets from the market. We are moving all of them away for destruction. The task force were given a term of reference, but the overall mandate is to eradicate substandard products from the Nigerian market. The roofing sheets are substandard, because if you look at the standards for galvanised roofing sheet NIS 180, it stipulates the minimum thickness for the product and the minimum thickness is 0.15mm, but most of the galvanised roofing sheet we have here fall below the standard and this is what we do not want to allow into the Nigerian market.”

He said going forward, SON would go through every nook and cranny of the country raiding markets, warehouses, adding that the aim is to protect unsuspecting consumers while also adding value for hard earned money spent on purchasing goods.

“If you use this kind of roofing sheet for your structure, any little wind would destroy it and this is what we do not want to encourage. So, we are appealing to all Nigerians especially importers and our local manufacturers also to stick to the NIS 180. We have valued this one to be around N38 million and we are still going to seize more. This campaign is ongoing to continue in the country. We are appealing to everybody not to waste their money buying substandard goods, because if you continue dealing with this product, SON will seize and destroy them. We are not happy we are destroying these products because it is a loss to the economy, but we have to protect Nigerians which is our primary responsibility,” he said. 

We want consumers to have value for any money they spend on buying products. Some of these substandard were imported and manufactured locally and we are seizing all of them because they failed to meet the specific requirement of the NIS. For aluminium sheets, if the standard is below 0.4, we will seize and destroy them. We are doing all of this to safe the local producers of quality goods and we also do not want these unscrupulous people bringing in this product to underprice our local manufacturers and if this happens, they will not make money and lay off their workers. This is why we are fighting tooth and nail to eradicate substandard goods in the country,” he stressed.

He said the seized goods where smuggled in because they do not have SONCAP certificate, saying products such as this must not come into the country unchecked.

“Our Independent Accreditation Firms (IAFs) who we appointed to do inspection activities on our behalf must have tested them and ensure that they comply to the standards. Even if they beat us at the port, we will go after them in the markets and warehouses to look for them. Right here in the warehouse, we have conducted a lot of test on these products, we have our micrometer screw gauges which we use to check the thickness. 

We cannot do this alone, this is why we work with sister agencies and intelligent surveilance units to gather information about how to get these products before they enter into the countr,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Coordinator, Surveillance Intelligence and Monitoring Unit (SIM), Suleiman Isa, said the goods would be destroyed and recycled, pointing out the enforcement exercise would be a national activity.

“We have succeded in loading the substandard products and we are about to take them to our warehouse. The next line of action is destruction and recycling which will be determined by the management of SON. 

This is going to be a national activity and it is going to be happening on a continuous basis. We are also using this opportunity to advise all importers and even the local manufacturers to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements of the standards for these products. Failure to do this, their products will be seized and destroyed,” he said.

“We have been carrying out sensitisation programmes to enlighten people on the dangers of substandard products, but the issue is that people go for inferior products because of the price and at the end of the day the cheap products are not cheap, but expensive,” he stressed.