By Felix Khanoba
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has called for wider adoption of quality and energy-efficiency standards to make clean energy more affordable, protect consumers and strengthen the country’s industrial development.
The Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, said effective standards were essential to ensuring that energy technologies and products were safe, reliable and affordable, stressing that they could also help consumers reduce costs over time.
Okeke spoke in Abuja on Saturday at the 2026 World Standards Day celebration, in Abuja, with the theme, “Standards: Vision for a Better World – Spotlight on SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.”
He said standards were not merely technical requirements but essential tools for building consumer confidence, supporting businesses, facilitating trade and promoting national development.
“Standards have a critical role to play in ensuring that technologies, products and systems supporting this transition are safe, efficient, reliable and fit for purpose,” he said.
The SON chief said the organisation had continued to develop and adopt standards across critical sectors, including energy management, transportation, food safety and healthcare, as part of efforts to support Nigeria’s development objectives.
On the Federal Government’s compressed natural gas initiative, Okeke disclosed that SON approved 80 standards in 2024 covering different aspects of the CNG value chain.
According to him, the standards cover CNG conversion kits, electrical connections, vehicle diagnostics, roadworthiness, vehicle safety, storage vessels and refuelling stations.
He said the measures were designed to ensure that the deployment of CNG as an alternative fuel met established safety and reliability requirements.
The director-general also highlighted SON’s Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme and Minimum Energy Performance Standards, known as SONMEL, which he said would provide consumers with information to make better purchasing decisions.
He explained that the initiative would help Nigerians distinguish between appliances that consume more energy and those that deliver better efficiency, enabling them to consider long-term operating costs rather than purchase prices alone.
“When you say something is efficient, it means you are using the little resources to achieve more,” Okeke said.
He argued that energy-efficient appliances could offer greater savings over time, even when their initial purchase prices were higher.
The SON boss acknowledged that manufacturers might face costs associated with transitioning from existing technologies to more energy-efficient alternatives, including investments in training, research and development.
However, he urged businesses to prioritise quality and comply with approved standards, particularly when manufacturing, importing and selling electrical and electronic products.
“The SON certification logos are a symbol of quality, safety, and conformity with approved standards,” he said, urging traders and business owners to stock and sell products bearing the appropriate certification marks.
Okeke also highlighted the organisation’s efforts to strengthen product authentication and traceability, saying its product authentication tracking system would enable consumers to verify the genuineness of products using their phones.
He said the initiative was part of efforts to make it easier for Nigerians to identify products that had not been approved by the organisation.
The director-general further disclosed that SON had introduced digital processes for accessing standards and migrated its SONCAP and import permit processes to the National Single Window to improve efficiency and transparency for legitimate traders.
He said standards promote fair competition by ensuring that businesses producing quality goods were not disadvantaged by operators selling substandard products.
“When you know that there’s a standard, the person that is producing in line with the standard, you are confident, and you are sure that that product is the right way to do it,” he said.
Okeke subsequently declared the 2026 World Standards Day celebration open.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr John Asein, the Commission urged Nigerians to respect intellectual property rights and reject piracy.
The message, presented by the Commission’s Chief Information Officer, Mary Avoswahi Adegbile, stressed the importance of copyright protection to the growth of the creative economy.
It noted that copyright safeguards the interests of authors, musicians, filmmakers, publishers, software developers and other creative professionals while encouraging innovation, attracting investment and sustaining livelihoods.
The Commission condemned piracy, unauthorised reproduction and distribution of protected works, illegal streaming and other forms of copyright infringement.
“Let me emphasise that piracy is not a harmless shortcut; it is an attack on creativity, investment and the rule of law,” the message stated.
The NCC reaffirmed its commitment to promoting copyright awareness, encouraging compliance and enforcing the Copyright Act 2022 against infringement.
It urged individuals, businesses and institutions to obtain the necessary authorisation before using protected works where required by law and to access creative content through legitimate channels.
The Commission said standards and copyright protection were complementary, noting that while standards safeguard the quality of products and services, copyright protects the rights and value of creative works.
“Both are essential to building an innovative, competitive and prosperous Nigeria,” it added.
Also speaking at the event, the President of the Female Farmers Apex Cooperative Society Ltd, Dr Maimuna Habib, called for greater access to affordable clean-energy technologies for women farmers, livestock producers and market traders.
Habib, a veterinarian and former Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, said solar-powered refrigeration, clean energy for agro-processing and reliable renewable energy systems could help women reduce losses, preserve food quality, improve productivity and increase their incomes.
She urged SON, government agencies, financial institutions and development partners to collaborate in making quality-assured clean-energy technologies more accessible to women engaged in agriculture and agribusiness.
“I believe that empowering women requires more than creating opportunities; it requires the infrastructure, appropriate technology, quality standards, and institutional support that enable their businesses to grow sustainably,” she said.
Habib also highlighted her connection to Wuse Market, where she said her office constructed a shed for Fulani women selling nono, or fresh cow’s milk, while she served as Chief Veterinary Officer.
She said the intervention reflected her belief that development policies must translate into practical benefits for people whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and livestock production.
According to her, access to appropriate technology, reliable energy and quality standards would strengthen women’s businesses, improve livelihoods and build more resilient communities.
“My journey from public service to cooperative leadership reinforces my belief that when we invest in women, strengthen standards, and expand access to clean energy, we build stronger livelihoods, more resilient communities, and a better Nigeria,” she said.
Habib congratulated SON on the celebration and reaffirmed her organisation’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, women’s economic empowerment and national development.
The event also featured a raffle draw, during which participants won items including washing machines, umbrellas and food trays.
