Japan hails Nigeria’s standardization, anti-counterfeiting fight

By Miriam Humbe

The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) has commended the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for its doggedness in the fight against the circulation of substandard and counterfeited products in Nigeria.
This commendation was given by the outgoing Trade Commissioner and Managing Director of JETRO, Mr. Taku Miyazaki during a farewell visit to the SON Director General and Management in Abuja.
Miyazaki said Japanese brand owners in Nigeria were appreciative of SON support in facilitating trade through the off-shore conformity assessment programme (SONCAP), its quality assurance scheme for locally manufactured goods (MANCAP) and the unrelenting fight against the purveyors of substandard products in Nigeria.
He offered JETRO’s hands of fellowship to SON in sensitizing the Organisation’s operatives in particular and Nigerian Consumers at large on anti-counterfeiting measures in relation to Japanese brands in Nigeria.
While appreciating the SON Chief Executive and Management for the cooperation he received during his tenure in Nigeria Mr. Mizaki sought even greater support for his successor, Mr. Shigeyo Nishizawa who takes over as Trade Commissioner and Managing Director of JETRO.
Responding, the Director General, Mr. Osita Aboloma acknowledged the long standing and mutually beneficial relationship that existed between SON, the Japanese Embassy and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the area of standards development and capacity building.
“SON is intensifying efforts at protecting genuine manufacturers, importers and brand owners from the negative effects of faking and counterfeiting through its off-shore and on-shore conformity assessment programmes, electronic product registration and a robust standards enforcement structure across the country.
“SON is deploying technology in most of its service delivery as part of efforts to stay abreast of the counterfeiters and purveyors of substandard products and expressed the agency’s willingness to partner with the Japanese Government and agencies in building further capacities” Aboloma said.
He expressed the SON’s expectation on the anti-counterfeiting capacity development programme as including providing its operatives with adequate knowledge and skills to enhance their effectiveness on the field.
While bidding farewell to the outgoing JETRO MD, Aboloma assured the incoming Trade Commissioner of SON’s cooperation and support during his tenure in Nigeria, stressing that the organisation looks forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.
Also on the Japanese delegation was the First Secretary/Deputy Head of Economic Development Cooperation of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, Mr. Hiroki Ogawa.