Check certification marks before you buy products, SON tells Nigerians

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has advised Nigerians to check product certification marks before buying goods to prevent purchasing low-quality or counterfeit items. The organisation recently posted a list of certified products on its official website, making it easier for consumers to identify and purchase locally manufactured goods that meet quality standards.

SON Director-General Dr Ifeanyi Okeke announced this during the CANEX WKND 2026 event at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos. Okeke led a team to the exhibition and encouraged consumers to verify certified products online, empowering them to make informed purchasing decisions and rewarding manufacturers who meet SON standards.

The SON's presence at the expo aimed to reach out to manufacturers, small business owners, and consumers, helping them understand product certification under the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) and the SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for locally made goods. Visitors were educated on how to spot substandard and counterfeit products, verify SON authentication marks, and report suspicious items.

Okeke highlighted that Nigerian-made products must meet international standards to compete effectively in global markets under the Federal Government's "Nigeria First" policy.