The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) organized an event on “Consumers Safety, Compliance, and Rights” for 100 stakeholders in Kwara, as part of its engagement with states in the Northern Zone. The event was held in Ilorin on Friday and brought together participants from the manufacturing sector and regulatory agencies.

In his address to the participants, the Director General of SON, Malam Farouk Salim, emphasized that standardization could optimize operations, improve the bottom line, and enhance consumers’ satisfaction. He further noted that as a product and services regulatory agency, SON was concerned about consumers’ safety, compliance, and rights, which necessitated the stakeholders’ engagement.

Representing the Director General, Mr. Ayeni Oyebola, the Kwara Coordinator of SON, reiterated the importance of the stakeholders’ engagement, stating that it would enable SON to gather feedback from consumers and industry players on issues related to product quality and safety. Oyebola added that the input from the stakeholders would help SON to improve its regulatory processes and ensure the safety and satisfaction of consumers.

“It is important we engage Nigerians and make them understand the work we do, so that they will have the confidence to interact with us.

“They see us as a declarative body and we are ready to discuss, also ready to have feedbacks as well as ready to improve.

“Currently, we are automating many of our operations procedures, so that we can engage our customers online, for them to get to know SON better,” he said.

The director general of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Malam Farouk Salim, emphasized the organization’s concern for Nigerians and their consumption of products. He noted that substandard products can cause the loss of resources for citizens. The purpose of the meeting, according to him, was to create awareness on how to reduce substandard products in the country.

During the event, Professor Adedibu Tella from the University of Ilorin delivered a lecture titled “Awareness of Consumer Safety, Compliance, and Rights.” Tella stressed the importance of raising awareness among the general public. The event was organized for states in the Northern Zone and drew participants from the manufacturing sector and regulatory agencies. It was held in Ilorin on Friday. The SON is concerned about consumers’ safety, compliance, and rights as a products and services regulatory agency.

“This is to ensure that consumers have unhindered access to reliable products,” he said.

According to Professor Adedibu Tella of the University of Ilorin, who gave a lecture titled “Awareness of Consumer Safety, Compliance and Rights,” consumer safety refers to the measures taken by manufacturers and service providers to ensure that their products and services do not pose any risk to consumers. Tella, who is a professor of Chemistry, noted that chemical experts were concerned that consumer rights in Nigeria were low, which was why consumers would buy a product, notice a defect, and then decide to discard it without filing a complaint.

“A consumer will receive a poor service and choose not to complain, only contented with informing an unsuspecting consumer not to patronise the service,” he said.

Professor Tella recommended that SON should organize public education programs to educate consumers about their rights and responsibilities. He also suggested that sensitization programs should be organized to raise awareness about consumer rights and the importance of complying with safety standards and regulations.

Mr. Paul Popoola, one of the participants, described the stakeholders’ engagement as timely and highly beneficial to consumers, manufacturers, and other relevant stakeholders. The event was attended by various stakeholders, including the National Identity Management Commission, National Examination Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, and some manufacturers.