Business
SON Cautions Borno Rice Millers Against Sharp Practice
The Coordinator of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Borno, Mr Adamu Ahmed, has cautioned rice processing companies in the state against sharp practice to maximise profit.
Ahmed, who spoke to journalists yesterday in Maiduguri, said the call became necessary following complaints by consumers that locally produced rice in 10, 25 and 50 kg bags were short of the actual weight specifications.
Ahmed said such sharp practice noticed by consumers in contents of assorted grains was unacceptable, adding that SON would soon clampdown on defaulting manufacturers and dealers of such products.
“Consumers should come to SON to complain whenever they observe such things or sub standard products.
“In doing that, they have helped the manufacturer to improve his product and other consumers to combat bad products.
“There is standard for rice, if you are processing rice. Come to SON to get the standard and make sure your product meets the required standard,” the coordinator said.
Many consumers who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri have raised concern about the poor packaging of local rice.
A civil servant, Abubakar Musa, said, “You will notice that the rice is full of stones and husks while the weight is not commensurate with the kilogrammes written on the bag.
“You will see a 10kg bag weighing 8kg, 20kg weighing 18kg, and sometimes a 50kg bag weighing 40kg! This is cheating.”
A university student, Halima Lawan,urged relevant authorities like SON to start a campaign against the malpractice.
“We need to have an aggressive campaign against sharp practice; it’s not fair for consumers to be buying things at exorbitant costs while the content does not meet the weight specification,” Lawan said.
A trader, Bukar Usman, observed that while few shop owners, particularly dealers were responsible for reducing the contents of grains, in most cases the reduction was done by the manufacturers.
“We are also not happy with that. Many contractors supplying local rice to organisations feeding displaced persons in camps used to complain that many bags of rice were rejected because the weight was less than the kilogrammes written on the bags,” Usman said.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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