NIGERIA – The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has during the 2021 World Standards Day (WSD), stressed the need for stakeholders around the country to join international standardization bodies citing that standards are more relevant than ever in the pursuit of the sustainable Development Goals.

The cooperation of many public and private partners and the use of all available tools, including international standards and conformity assessment are some of the requirements for attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs) aimed at addressing social imbalances, develop a sustainable economy, and slow the rate of climate change.

In a statement to mark the WSD, the Director General, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, stated that these objectives of the SDGs are highly ambitious but attainable.

According to him, the theme of the 2021 celebrations being coordinated by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is “Standards for Sustainable Development Goals – Our shared Vision for a better World”.

“The intense battle against a persistent global pandemic revealed the absolute necessity of addressing the SDGs in an inclusive way, to strengthen our societies, making them more resilient and more equitable,” he posited accentuating the joint message of the three international standardization bodies.

He further said that the entire standards system is built on collaboration which is a testament to the power of cooperation and the belief that we are stronger than the sum of our parts.

“By working together, we are empowering people with real-world solutions to face sustainability challenges head-on,” he stated.

According to Salim, it is in this spirit that the IEC, ISO and ITU are engaging in a multi-year World Standards Day journey that showcases the many ways in which international standards contribute to the success of the SDGs. 

Commenting on the celebrations in Nigeria, he stated that his organization has been in the forefront of domesticating international standards for use in the country by working with relevant stakeholders to adopt them as national standards, as well as providing training and certification services for organizations and individuals in the last fifty years. This according to him helps to address the attainment of the objectives of the seventeen SDGs in Nigeria.

“By working together, we are empowering people with real-world solutions to face sustainability challenges head-on.”

Mallam Farouk Salim, Director General, Standards Organization of Nigeria

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The Director General disclosed that his organization would undertake road shows in Lagos and Abuja as well as conduct a sensitization workshop for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country to propagate the message of the 2021 World Standards Day within the month of October.

He bade all Nigerians to support SON in the propagation and implementation of standards for the benefit of the nation and its people through participation in standardization activities, provision of information on suspected substandard products and demand for quality at all times in purchase decisions.

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