Director General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke
By Felix Khanoba
The Director-General and Chief Executive of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, has unveiled the agency’s Digital Standards Platform (DSP), describing it as a transformative initiative that will simplify access to standards, improve product quality, strengthen consumer confidence and support the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy.
Speaking at the official launch of the platform in Abuja on Friday, Okeke said the initiative was designed to eliminate barriers that had long hindered access to standards by businesses, manufacturers and entrepreneurs across the country.
According to him, “The Digital Standards Platform is our answer to that question. From today, Nigerian Industrial Standards, compliance tools, conformity assessment services and standards-related resources are available digitally, searchable, accessible and verifiable, without the barriers of distance, queues or paperwork.”
He explained that the platform serves as a single digital gateway to Nigeria’s quality infrastructure, providing users with access to Nigerian Industrial Standards, certified products, verified manufacturers and other standards-related resources through an integrated online system.
The SON boss also disclosed that the platform would provide Nigerians with affordable access to internationally recognised standards through the agency’s licensing agreements with global standards organisations.
He said selected adopted international standards would now be available at discounts of up to 35 per cent, a move aimed at reducing compliance costs for industries, researchers and professionals while enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international markets.
Okeke further noted that the platform would enable consumers and procurement entities to verify certified products and manufacturers before making purchasing decisions, a development he said would improve transparency, encourage patronage of quality products and help eliminate counterfeit and substandard goods from the Nigerian market.
He stressed that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria First Policy.
“If Nigeria must buy Nigerian first, then Nigerian products must be worthy of being bought first and demonstrably so. Standards are how a nation keeps that promise to itself,” he said.
The SON DG added that by making standards easier and more affordable to access, the platform would help micro, small and medium enterprises formalise their operations, achieve certification and compete effectively in continental and global markets.
“Technology is a promise, and promises must be kept. On behalf of the Management and Staff of SON, I pledge that the Digital Standards Platform will be maintained with diligence, secured with vigilance and improved with humility,” he said.
In his remarks, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, described the initiative as a joint vision between BPP and SON aimed at promoting quality and transparency in public procurement.
He said the platform would soon be integrated into the Bureau’s e-Marketplace, enabling procuring entities, contractors and suppliers to identify and procure verified, standards-compliant Nigerian products with confidence.
Adedokun announced that “With this launch, the NIS Attestation Certificate obtained via the Digital Standards Platform becomes a mandatory bid document and evaluation requirement for all Federal Government procurement involving goods, works and services with applicable Nigerian Industrial Standards.”
He added that the measure would guarantee fairness, strengthen verification processes and ensure that only products and services meeting national standards are used in public contracts.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Senator Olajide Ipinsagba, described the Digital Standards Platform as a landmark innovation that would deepen quality assurance, accountability and value for money in Nigeria’s procurement system.
He said integrating Nigerian Industrial Standards into procurement processes would ensure government agencies clearly define quality requirements while contractors and suppliers deliver goods and services that comply with approved national standards.
Ipinsagba assured stakeholders of the National Assembly’s continued support for reforms that promote transparency, efficiency and integrity in public procurement, urging Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as manufacturers and contractors, to fully embrace the platform.
