The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing standards in the roofing sheets industry, emphasising the importance of quality and safety and sustainable industrial growth.
SON made this known at a stakeholders’ forum on Friday in Lagos with the theme: “Boosting the building industry value chain with standard roofing sheets.”
In a welcome address by the director general of SON, Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, he said the theme of the event captures a central concern in the construction industry, the urgent need to enhance the value chain in order to ensure consumer protection and eliminate persistent threat of substandard roofing sheets in Nigeria.
According to him, roofing sheets are not just construction materials, they are the final protective barrier that determine the durability, efficiency, and the beauty of any building.
“Whether in urban center or rural community, the roofing remains a defining investment that one should never play with and should be delivered with peace of mind to all owners, developers, and infrastructure investors. Unfortunately, the proliferation of low-quality and counterfeit roofing sheets in the Nigerian market has caused widespread concerns ranging from premature roofing failure to safety hazard, financial loss, and reputational damage to credible manufacturers in Nigeria.”
The DG who was represented by the director of cooporate affairs, SON, Talatu Ethan said the forum was designed to create the necessary awareness for all stakeholders, both producers and users, to know that in SON they have zero tolerance for susbstandard products.
She noted that their mandate is to develop, promote, and enforce standards that improve the quality of products and services, which also enhance consumer confidence and competitiveness of Nigerian products and services through the instrument of standardisation and quality assurance.
She said they enhance consumer confidence and support Nigerian industrial competitiveness in the roofing sheets and aluminum sector, in order to guide the production, importation, and market distribution of roofing material in the country
The Director General (DG) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, represented by Joseph Imoleke noted that members of MAN are hardly found producing substandard goods. He stated that Nigerian borders are very porous, making it easy for substandard goods to come in.
He stated that the Ministry of Industry has also agreed that there will be a whistleblower within the division of customs.
Imoleke urged the manufacturers of roofing sheets to employ intelligence network that will link up some information right from where they are bringing substandard goods and share to customs, SON.
According to him, “If you don’t report substandard goods, it will kill your business.”
He also stated that MAN is in support of SON to improve the standards of manufactured products in Nigeria.
Technical papers around the theme: “Boosting the building Industry value chain with standard roofing sheets,” were delivered by experts, including Engr Idachi Ega, Head, Mechanical Group at SON, Mr Ushaheba Sambe of Chemical Technology Standard department at SON, Samuel Ayuba, a director who was represented by Akinbade Abiola and Theresa Ojomo, head of Lagos region.
