Director General, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu has said that poor product packaging and lack of standardization are major challenges hindering business growth in Nigeria.
Speaking at a one day seminar on international trade on ‘The Future of International Trade in Nigeria’ organized by Zenith Bank PLC in Lagos yesterday, Odumodu said all aspects of international trade including processing, shipping and clearing are interconnected hence the need for it to be properly managed and be guided by rules that governed them.
“For relevance in the global chain and international activities, we need to identify where the gaps are. What is it that is keeping us from where we should be in terms of product quality, skills and expertise? That is to say, for every aspect of business activities, whatever the sector is, it is time we need to bench mark policy,”
“When we talk of bench marking and gap analysis, an area that presents a major challenge to business growth is products packaging,”
He said when standards are followed by business owners; the desired results will be achieved.
“Rules, regulations and procedures have to be applied because if we do not do things right, there is no way we are going to get the desired result. There are businesses that have gone to generations and that is because they had focus on quality and there was commitment,” Odumodu who was represented by Deputy Director, Trade Development, SON, Mrs. Oluremu Ayeni said.
Odumodu also urged consumers to always make the demand for quality products in order for industries to grow their capacity to deliver.
According to him, when consumers accept less than perfect products, they keep encouraging those that bring in such products into the market.
He said SON in collaboration with other relevant professional bodies is working towards improving products packaging in Nigeria.
Speaking on arrest of containers by the agency, the SON DG said importers do not have any reason to be afraid of their containers being arrested if they abide and conform to the Standards Organization of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).
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