UNIDO, SON Conclude on Implementation of 12m Euro NQI

The United Nation Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have begun processes toward the implementation of the National Quality Infrastructure(NQI) for Nigeria project, worth 12million euro. UNIDO representative, Mr. Shaukat Malik, has said.

The project, which is to be funded by the European Union (EU) is aimed at supporting the improvement of standards and quality control agencies in order to advance the quality of products and services.

Malik, who spoke at the 2015 World Metrology Day with the theme “Measurement in National Development” in Lagos, said the project is to boost the competitiveness of the country’s private sector and ensure the protection of its consumers.

“We recognised that the increasing importance of metrology within globalised markets puts more emphasis on the link between costs and quality, quantity and trade,” he said.The UNIDO Representative noted that without the use of metrology, the simplest of transactions may be open to abuse as it then becomes difficult to regulate trade.

He explained that the UNIDO through its NQI project will take up the reins to finalise strategic activities to support the metrology towards international recognition. Also speaking at the event, the Director-General, SON, the agency that organized the event, Dr Joseph Odumodu, said the establishment of the national metrology institute will help the country to boost her export base by providing the required confidence and reliability in the export goods. According to Odumodu, the establishment of the institute will eliminate the incidence of inaccurate and short measures in trade, manufacturing, export and import activities in the countryHe stated that apart from ensuring improved health standard of the citizenry it will also ensure safe environment by providing accuracy in measurements.

He said: “Metrology, which is the science of measurements, is key to achieving 30 Gross Domestic Product for the manufacturing sector.

“If Nigeria is interested in giving manufacturing 30 percent; if we want to diversify and fight corruption; if we want to identify the number of barrels of oil we sell in a day, we must identify SON’s metrology,” he said.