2 months ago
29 ARTICLE AD
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, has expressed serious concern over the rising exploitation of African consumers through misleading product advertisements, counterfeit products, substandard services and safety hazards associated with overpriced offerings.
She noted that this trend has persisted even though the continent is the fastest-growing consumer market globally.
The minister made the observation at the 11th African Day of Standardisation organised by the Standards Organization of Nigeria held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The event themed, “Empowering Consumers through Standardisation to Achieve Their Rights to Safe Quality Goods and Services”, is to create awareness on the Rights of Consumers in Nigeria, and the global efforts on awareness of consumer rights and needs.
Speaking in her address, the trade minister represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Nura Abba Rimi, explained that standardisation plays a vital role in ensuring that goods and services meet internationally recognised quality benchmarks and that the African market should not be a dumping ground.
According to her, Africa has over 1.2 billion consumers, which is projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2030 and it’s consumer expenditure is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.9 per cent to hit $2.1tn by 2025, and $2.5tn in 2030.
She, however, stated that the implementation of standardised procedures can change the narrative, serving as a safety net for consumer rights.
She said, “Candidly speaking, Consumers in Africa are faced with several challenges emanating from misleading advertisements, reproach from service providers, counterfeit products, unsafe items, substandard services, inadequate information or transparency, and safety hazards associated with overpriced offerings.
“However, the implementation of standards across the African continent has changed the narrative, serving as a safety net for consumer rights.
“Standardisation plays a vital role in ensuring that goods and services meet internationally recognized quality benchmarks, building consumer trust, enhancing market access, and driving export growth. It promotes innovation by providing a framework for the adoption of advanced technologies and best practices, enabling businesses to compete on the global scale.”
She added that by means of embracing standards, consumers will experience enhanced production of high-quality products and services.
“In Nigeria, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria plays a pivotal role in promoting standardisation, implementing robust quality assurance mechanisms, and safeguarding consumer safety. SON collaborates with international standardisation bodies, aligning national standards with global best practices and facilitating trade integration.
“The importance of standardisation in empowering the consumers’ rights cannot be overstated. Standardisation ensures that our manufacturers and importers adhere to internationally recognised quality benchmarks, thus building consumer trust, enhancing market access, and driving export growth.
“As we celebrate the 11th African Day of Standardisation, let us reaffirm our commitment to empowering consumers through effective standardisation strategies and also foster a culture of quality consciousness, where businesses strive for excellence in every aspect of their operations,” she added.
On his part, the SON Director General, Ifeanyi Okeke, reiterated the commitment to protect Nigerian consumers from exploitation, highlighting a significant rise in the number of consumers accessing quality goods and services through its policies.
He said, “Consumers, being end-users of goods and services require rights that serve as a means of protecting them from exploitation, therefore, Standardisation is a tool of consumer empowerment against violating consumer rights.
“It is worthy of note that through the efforts of our MANCAP and SONCAP Schemes, Product Authentication Mark, Market Surveillance, Laboratory Services, Factory Inspection, Enforcement, Port and Border Operations, amongst others, we have witnessed a significant rise in the number of consumers accessing quality goods and services.
“SON is committed to creating an enabling environment for consumers, promoting their rights to safe quality goods and services through standardisation.”
