NIGERIA TO IMPACT GLOBAL ELECTROTECHNICAL STANDARDISATION – ABOLOMA

Nigeria is set to make greater impact in global standardisation in the area of electro-technical equipment and appliances through the activities of the Nigeria National Electrotechnical Committee.

This assertion was made in Abuja by the Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Aboloma in a keynote address to a National Electrotechnical Summit held for stakeholders involved in electricity supply chain, like generation, transmission, distribution, appliance manufacturers, importers, research institutions and consumers.

          Also present at the summit were relevant government agencies involved in policy making, implementation and regulation as well as professional associations like the Nigerian Society of Engineers amongst others.

Represented by the Director of Operations, Engr. Felix Nyado, the SON Chief Executive stated that emphasis on standardisation is particularly important at this point, given the new dynamics and fundamental changes introduced in the electro-technical sector by the implementation of government’s reform programme. This according to him, has seen the hitherto largely self-regulated national power company unbundled into several private sector driven companies.

Mr. Aboloma stressed that the Summit was necessary to work out modalities to better engage experts from the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry in the development and implementation of Electro-technical standards to ensure quality and safety of products, systems and practices in the country.      

The Summit according to him was also aimed at creating greater awareness on the benefits of the implementation of standards and the need for the Nigerian Electro-technical experts to be more involved in the process of standards development at national and international levels.

In his opening remarks at the occasion, Engr. Tasiu Wudil of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, who stood in for the Chairman, Nigeria National Committee of IEC commended the role of SON in galvanising the Nation’s participation in international standards development, domestication, implementation and enforcement.

Giving a goodwill message at the occasion, the Director General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mr. Babatunde Irukera alluded to the challenge and risk involved in enforcing standards on imported finished products, calling for greater investments in local manufacture of electrical equipment and appliances.

Speaking through Engr. Shamm Kolo, the CPC Chief Executive urged local manufacturers and importers of electrical equipment and appliances to always make the safety of consumers paramount in the course of manufacture and distribution of products.

The Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria through the General Manager, Coleman Wires and Cables, Engr. Michael Onafowokan enumerated the long standing collaboration of the sector with the SON which according to him has brought it to the summit of quality manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa. He acknowledged the wide use of IEC standards by the Nigerian cable manufacturers, stressing that many of them have been adopted as Nigeria Industrial Standards.  

    International facilitators at the summit include Mr. Fabio Gargatini, Chairman, IEC Technical Committee 61 on Safety of household and other appliances who spoke on “IEC Standards and Conformity Assessment Scheme” as well as “Drafting and Adoption of International Electrotechnical Standards”

    Mrs. Eva Odour, IEC African Regional Director in her presentation, enumerated the goal of the African Regional Centre as being to motivate more countries in the Continent to adopt and use IEC International Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems as well as to support them in their participation, no matter their level of commitment.

Source: ISO