SON To Authenticate Goods At Ports

The CBN says the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) will now be responsible for the authentication of all goods coming through the country’s ports.

The directive was contained in a circular signed by Mr Batari Musa, the Director, Trade and Exchange Department of CBN.

The authentication, tagged: Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP certificate), takes immediate effect.

It said that the directive was applicable to all products imported into Nigeria, except those under the exemption list.

The statement said that four international accredited firms had been appointed to carry out the bank’s inspection, test and certification of products, on behalf of SON, offshore.

It also said that the firms include China Certification and Inspection Company Ltd. (CCIC), COTECNA Inspection Nigeria Ltd., (COTECNA) Swede Control Intertek International Ltd.(INTERTEK) and Societe General de Surveillance (SGS).

The bank said that the accredited firms would be responsible for the issuance of product certificates to overseas manufacturers, suppliers and traders.