Nigeria Secures Global Recognition for Measurement Standards as SON DG Marks Three Years in Office

….. signs international measurement pact in France

Nigeria has joined countries whose measurement standards are recognised internationally following the signing of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM MRA) in France.

The milestone coincided with the third anniversary of the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, who signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria at the 28th meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM).

In a statement signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Ethan Talatu, SON said Nigeria was admitted as an Associate State of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) on June 4, 2026.

According to Okeke, the development represents a significant step towards integrating Nigeria into the international measurement system.

The CIPM MRA provides a framework through which national metrology institutes demonstrate the equivalence of their measurement standards, enabling their calibration and measurement certificates to gain international recognition.

Its key outputs, known as internationally recognised Calibration and Measurement Capabilities, are published in the BIPM Key Comparison Database.

Okeke said the arrangement would enhance international recognition of Nigeria’s measurement capabilities, promote global acceptance of its calibration certificates and facilitate cross-border trade.

He added that the agreement would reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign metrology services, strengthen SON’s technical authority and create opportunities for international scientific collaboration and capacity building.

The SON Director-General also said Nigeria had attained full membership of the BIPM, joining Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia among African countries with the status.

The achievement builds on the accreditation of three laboratories at Nigeria’s National Metrology Institute, covering mass, temperature and pressure, to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard through the Egyptian Accreditation Council.

Meanwhile, Okeke’s three years in office have been characterised by efforts to digitise SON’s operations and improve service delivery.

The agency introduced the Digital Standards Platform, e-MANCAP and the Electronic Product Registration System. It also migrated SONCAP and Import Permit processes to the National Single Window platform.

These reforms earned SON second place among federal ministries, departments and agencies in the 2024 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Transparency and Efficiency Report.

For manufacturers and small businesses, the international acceptance of Nigeria’s measurement and calibration certificates means products can be tested locally and accepted in foreign markets, potentially reducing the cost of relying on overseas laboratories.

SON has also certified 131 companies and 220 products under the African Quality Mark, providing local manufacturers with improved access to markets across the continent under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In addition, the organisation launched the Nigerian National Standardisation Strategy (2024–2027) and secured approval for 217 Nigerian Industrial Standards

The agency has also developed more than 80 standards for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), supporting the country’s efforts to promote gas-powered transportation.