SON Rolls Out Additional Security Authentication to Stem Product Counterfeiting

James Emejo in Abuja

The Director General/Chief Executive, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, has said arrangements have been finalised for the launch of its Product Authentication Mark (PAM) sticker to check the inflow of fake, sub-standard, and counterfeit goods imported into the country.

Speaking at a stakeholder’s sensitisation programme on PAM), he said over 20 security feature stickers have been created adding that when fully in use, these will address the prevailing challenges experienced as a result of dishonesty on the part of fraudulent importers and manufacturers of products.

Salim in a statement issued by the Director, Public Relations, SON, Mrs. Foluso Bolaji, explained that the agency had introduced the Conformity Assessment Programme which is meant for imported goods into Nigeria to make sure that goods coming into Nigeria are certified before they reach its market.

He said, “SON introduce the SONCAP to ensure the quality of products in our market that we will be proud of as consumers while the merchants of fake products will continue to flood the market with substandard items.

“We also introduced for the locally manufactured goods the MANCAP in order not to be seen by the International Community as creating a trade barrier so that imported goods cannot come into our country especially with Nigeria being a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“With this imported product will be certified and given the Product Authentication Mark (PAM) and it will be in our market.”

He pointed out that though the security features would be made voluntary to local manufacturers, they should embrace the scheme in order to keep Nigeria safe and strong.

Salim said, “The sticker is not mandatory for the locally manufactured products for now, we are making it voluntary for them as I believe if they see the beauty of the PAM and the security it brings to their products, most of them will come in in due time.

“PAM will also protect genuine manufacturers and importers from faking and counterfeiting of their certified product as well as promote a level playing field in the market for both locally manufactured and imported products certified by SON.” Deputy, Director Product Certification, SON, Mr. Enebi Onucheyo, said arising from the rampant application of the mark on non-certified products, the agency decided to control the printing of the mark as well as improve its security features through physical and digital technology.