The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has awarded the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) Certificates and Logos to 13 manufacturers of aluminium roofing sheets in Imo State.

The Director-General of SON, Ifeanyi Okeke, presented the certificates and logos to the beneficiaries on Thursday in Owerri.

Mr Okeke said the award was designed to bolster the industrial sector.

He also described the initiative as part of a strategic national roadmap to sanitise the construction industry and position Nigerian-made products for global competitiveness.

He highlighted the critical economic weight of Nigeria’s aluminium sector, saying that the sector was projected to reach an annual valuation of $700 million by 2030.

Mr Okeke further said that the growth was anticipated by a compound annual growth rate of 5.7 per cent.

“This is driven by rapid urbanisation and a housing deficit, estimated at over 16 million to 17 million units.

“By ensuring these products meet the Nigerian industrial standard, we are not just protecting buildings; we are safeguarding an industry that drives employment and infrastructure development across the federation,” he said.

Mr Okeke said that SON’s current initiatives were strictly aligned with the federal government’s “Nigeria First Policy” for the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises by making quality certification more accessible.

The SON boss outlined several subsidised interventions currently offered by the agency to support local manufacturers, including subsidised laboratory testing and sale of standards and certification charges, among others.

Congratulating the certified companies, Mr Okeke warned against complacency.

According to him, the MANCAP certificate is not a permanent shield but a trust-based licence that must be revalidated every three years.

“We will undertake periodic factory inspections, sampling, and laboratory testing to ensure standards are maintained.

“The certificates issued today shall be withdrawn or suspended if products fail to meet minimum requirements,” he warned.

Mr Okeke urged other manufacturers in the South-East and across Nigeria to formalise their operations.

“The benefits of the MANCAP logo go beyond regulatory compliance, offering a global passport for made-in-Nigeria goods to enter international markets and providing consumers with value for money, confident that their roofs will withstand the elements,” he stated.

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to using the “full weight of the law” against producers of substandard products who sabotage the economy by flooding the market with inferior, life-threatening building materials.

In her speech, the state coordinator of SON, Comfort Echebiri, described the MANCAP certificate and logo as a “prestigious achievement” and lauded the companies for successfully attaining the status.

Ms Echebiri emphasised that the award promotes the “competitiveness of made-in-Nigeria products” in global markets, ensuring local goods meet the highest standards for the nation’s “teeming population.”

She restated SON’s commitment towards “achieving sustainable development for the nation” and commended the manufacturers for satisfying the “stringent conditions” required to earn the certification.

In their separate responses, the state chairman of the Aluminium Corrugators Association, Marcel Odunze, and the managing director of AIFY Global Aluminium Ltd, Ifeanyi Nwagu, expressed delight over the certification of their products.

Mr Odunze, who is the Managing Director of Max Aluminium and Allied Product Ltd, praised SON’s resilience towards ensuring standards.

He assured the agency of sustained cooperation from the association to enable it to serve Nigerians with good and quality products.

He described the certificate and logo as a “big challenge” to the beneficiaries to maintain credibility and quality.

On his part, Mr Nwagu described the certificate and logo as an “acceptance and encouragement from SON on the impact of our aluminium roofing sheets in the construction industry.”

“We know there’s so much competition, and we know the standards, but as much as possible, we will minimise our margin, yet we will not lower the gauge,” Mr Nwagu said.

Of the 13 companies certified by the agency, five were awarded new certificates, while eight others had theirs revalidated.

The companies awarded certificates were Max Aluminium and Allied Product Ltd., Ebony Shelters Trading Nig. Ventures, Ugotex Roof & Shelters Enterprise, Romark Aluminium Company Nig. Ltd., and U2 Aluminium System Enterprise.

Those whose certificates were revalidated included AIFY Global Aluminum Ltd., Vinal Aluminum Products Ltd., Agunwa Aluminum Industry Big. Ltd., and Ejims Akirika Aluminum Ltd.

Others were Manchuks Aluminium Products Ltd., SICO Global Enterprises, Divine Gate Aluminium Products Ltd., and Sky Aluminium Manufacturing Company Ltd. 

(NAN)