Business
SON Tasks Lubricant Manufacturers On Standards
The Managing Director, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Anthony Aboloma, has called on manufacturers of lubricants to ensure their products meet the Nigerian Industrial Standard.
Aboloma made the call in Ilorin while presenting SON certificate of Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), to Polar Petrochemicals Ltd.
The Managing Director, who was represented by SON Group Head, Chemical Technology, Mr Agboola Folayan, advised management of the company to adhere to SON standard to sustain and maintain the award.
He therefore called on the management to synergise with the distributors to curb faking and adulteration of the products.
“Faking or any manner of tampering with products is usually traced to improper monitoring and communication gap hence the need to be on the lookout.
“By this certification, the company’s name and products are already in the SON website and can be accessed all over the world.
“The certification has also licensed the company to market its products beyond the shores of this country,” SON boss said.
Aboloma said that the two MANCAP certificates covered five products blended by Polar Petrochemical.
“It is important to note that MANCAP Certification has its conditionality which are clearly communicated in the award letter.
“However, the commitment shown by the management gives me confidence that polar Petrochemicals Ltd. with perseverance will not be found wanting,” Aboloma said.
Aboloma therefore called on Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria products, saying they could compete with similar products manufactured elsewhere in the world.
“I urge the management and staff of the company not to relax as they say quality is not a destination it is a process. The challenges of striving for perfection should be your watch word,” he said.
SON Coordinator in Kwara, Mr Sunday Yashim reminded the management and staff of the company that it was not easy to get the MANCAP Certificates for their products.
Yashim said that management of the company should always strive to sustain the confidence SON had in their products to get the certificates.
He advised them to always improve on their products and should not compromise quality, adding that this was the only way to guarantee getting the certificates for other products.
“Take note that lubricating sub sector is full of competition and adulteration and this is very rampant in Kwara.
“You should guard against any form of adulteration of all your products to win the confidence of your customers,” Yashim said.
The Chairman, Polar Petrochemicals Ltd., Alhaji Tasiu Mustapha said his ambition was to manufacture product or brand that would not only be of good quality but should be acceptable to the consuming public.
“And this has come to reality with the presentation of the certificates.”
The chairman, who was represented by the Managing Director of the company, Mr Muhideen Babalola, described the presentation of the certificates as one of the best things that happened in his life.
“On behalf of myself and management of Polar Petrochemicals, I want to assure you that we shall ensure that the standard with which this company started with shall be sustained to all stakeholders’ satisfaction,” Mustapha said.
He said that the company within a year of its existence had not only won local certification and recognition with the MANCAP quality certification, but other international recognitions.
The chairman said that Polar Petrochemicals was the first lubricant manufacturing company, whether major or independent to be awarded the upgraded ISO 9001:2015 QMS and second in Africa to be so honoured.
He said that the company was the first lubricant manufacturing and marketing company to get the ISO 14001:2016 EMS in Africa.
“Polar Petrochemical is the first Lubricant manufacturing and Marketing Company (Major/independent) to be OHSAS 18001:2007 certified, this is the operational, Health and Safety Assessment Series Awards,” he added.
Mustapha said that the three awards and certification had resulted in nominating Polar Petrochemicals for the World Health and Safety Organisation for the NAIJASAFE AWARD 2017 coming up in Lagos.
“The harvest of awards is the testimony of the brand quality and has positioned not only the product brands but the company in the global league of international recognised company,” the chairman said.
SON head of Chemical Technology in Kwara, Mrs Mariam Dolapo said the certification would be valid for a period of three years from the date of issue.
She said that it was mandatory for polar Petrochemicals to always display the MANCAP logo on all its products.
Dolapo said that the products would be periodically put under surveillance to monitor conformance to standard, adding that “SON has the right to withdraw the certificate and logo if standard is compromised.”
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with a firm, Sweetcrude Ltd., has announced detailed selection criteria for the inaugural “Champions of Nigerian Content Awards”, designed to honor outstanding contributions to local content development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The Tide learnt that the event, scheduled to hold 21st May, 2025, at the NCDMB’S content tower headquarters in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, will recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing Nigerian Content in 2024.
The Tide further gathered that the ceremony will coincide with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), which promises to spotlighting industry excellence and contributions to national economic transformation.
A statement by the Board’s Directorate of Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination says the event has 12 Award Categories, which include, “Nigerian Content Icon of the Year”, “Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award”, “Nigerian Content International Upstream Operator of the year”, and the “Nigerian Content Independent Upstream Operator of the year”.
Others are, “Nigerian Content Midstream Operator of the year”, “Nigerian Content Downstream Operator of the year”, “Nigerian Content International Service Company of the year”, Nigerian Content Indigenous Service Company of the year”, and the “Nigerian Content Innovator of the year”.
Also included are, “Nigerian Content Financial Services Provider of the year”, “Nigerian Content Media Organization of the year”, and “Women in Leadership Award for Promoting Gender Equality and Empowerment”.
According to the NCDMB, the criteria for oil and gas operators will include key and empirical benchmarks such as Production output for crude oil and gas volumes, Compliance with Nigerian Content Plans (NCPs) and Nigerian Content Compliance Certificates (NCCCs).
Other criteria are adherence to NOGICD Act reporting requirements, such as submission of Nigerian Content Performance Reports and Employment & Training Plans.
The Board’s statement added that similar criteria will apply to financial institutions, media organizations, and individuals, ensuring a transparent and merit-based selection process.
“Winners for the Nigerian Content Icon of the Year, Innovator of the Year, and Women in Leadership Award will also be selected based on measurable performance indicators.
“The Advisory Committee of Industry Titans will Oversee the process to uphold the prestige of awards. The Committee consist of distinguished experts set up to oversee nominations and validate winners”, the NCDMB said.
Members of the committee, according to the Board, include: Pioneer Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Dr. Ernest Nwapa; Secretary-General, African Petroleum Producers Organization, Dr. Omar Farouk; and former Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Mr. Woke Akinyosoye.
The Statement quoted the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, as emphasizing that the awards aim to becoming the oil and gas sector’s equivalent of the Oscars, celebrating genuine impact rather than mere participation.
“This recognition is reserved for those who have gone beyond compliance to drive tangible growth in Nigerian Content.
“With a focus on credibility, compliance, and measurable impact, the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards is poised to set a new standard for excellence in Nigeria’s energy sector”, the NCDMB Executive Scribe said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Nigeria’s apex Banking institution, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has declared that Federal Government’s debt servicing increased to N696billion in January 2025.
The CBN’s recently published Economic Report revealed a precarious fiscal position, which worsened in January 2025 as debt servicing obligations exceeded total retained revenue by a wide margin.
According to the report, the Federal Government’s debt servicing obligations for the month stood at N696.27bn, while total retained revenue amounted to only N483.47bn, indicating that debt service alone consumed about 144 per cent of all government earnings.
This development highlights the growing debt burden and dwindling fiscal space facing Africa’s largest economy.
According to the report, despite slight improvements in some revenue categories, the retained earnings were grossly inadequate to cover obligatory debt repayments, exposing the government’s continued reliance on borrowing to meet basic obligations.
The report further revealed that retained revenue in January 2025 only recorded a marginal 0.89 per cent increase when compared with the N479.21bn generated in the corresponding month of 2024.
”FGN retained revenue declined in the review period, owing largely to lower receipts from Federal Government Independent Revenue and FGN’s share of exchange gain.
“At N0.48tn, provisional FGN retained revenue was 69.19 and 70.40 per cent below the levels recorded in the preceding period and monthly target, respectively”, it revealed.
While this points to stagnation rather than growth, the marginal rise was wiped out by the overwhelming debt service obligations.
The retained revenue components showed that the Federation Account contributed N167.69bn, while the VAT Pool Account delivered N90.73bn.
By: Corlins Walter
The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the payment of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears owed workers in the Federal Civil Service.
A statement issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), which was signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, said the outstanding arrears will be paid in instalments, with workers set to receive N35,000 per month for five months.
It clarified that the first tranche of the wage award arrears would be released immediately after the April salary payment.
“The wage award arrears was not paid with the April 2025 salary; it will come immediately after the salary is paid”, the statement read.
The Federal Government had earlier disbursed wage awards to federal workers for five months as part of efforts to cushion the impact of economic reforms. However, five months’ arrears remained unpaid.
The AGF office further reiterated the government’s commitment to fully implementing all policies and agreements relating to staff remuneration and welfare, noting that such efforts were geared towards enhancing productivity and operational efficiency across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The N35,000 wage award was introduced in 2023 as a palliative measure to support workers following the removal of the petrol subsidy and other economic adjustments.
In January this year, the Federal Government assured workers that it would clear the arrears of the N35,000 wage award, just as it also said the government had resumed the payment of the wage award.
The government also reiterated its commitment to addressing issues in the National Minimum Wage agreement reached with the Organised Labour in 2023.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, had disclosed the government’s commitment towards implementing agreements with trade unions during separate meetings with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress and Congress of University Academics, in Abuja.
The Nigeria Labour Congress had criticised the Federal Government over the delay in the payment of the minimum wage for certain workers in the federal civil service.
Also, the Federal Government had earlier blamed the delay in payment on the prolonged approval of the 2025 budget.
By: Corlins Walter
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