By Naomi Uzor

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is seeking N115m to host African Organisation for Standardisation, (ARSO)’s President’s Forum for Chief Executive Officers of National Standards Bodies (NSBs) in Africa billed for Abuja next month.

The Director General/Chief Executive, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and President, ARSO, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, disclosed this at the media launch of the convention logo and information manual as well as partnership drive for the ARSO President’s forum in Lagos recently.

He said the forum which has been tagged: “Africa Rises for Standards in Abuja” will amongst other expectations bring about the strengthening of the standardisation capacities of Africa through dialogues, information and experience sharing, which will form the key elements required to promote and sustain Africa’s productivity and trade.

“As we welcome African standardizers to Abuja Nigeria, we enjoin you (stakeholders) to partner and support SON and indeed ARSO in showing the strength of Nigeria as a people, to break new frontiers through standardisation.

The total budget for this project is estimated at about N115, 000,000.00. SON with the best of intentions cannot bear this load alone, especially in the face of dwindling government funding. This has necessitated the invitation to partner with SON through the funding of all or some of the activities outlined in the budget and information manual” he said.

According to him, strategic objectives of ARSO is to establish a standards harmonization systems that supports a sound regulatory framework, disseminate harmonised standards and guidelines to support intra, inter African and international trade and industrialisation.

Odumodu said after Nigeria’s 54 years nationhood, SON has been able to help Nigeria put in place a National Quality Policy – the key instrument for developing a nation’s standards protocol and systems.