The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has called on Corps Members to champion product integrity and intensify public awareness against the production, distribution and consumption of counterfeit and substandard goods, stressing the importance of quality assurance in protecting public health and strengthening Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.
The call was made by Mr. Jimoh Kamaldeen of SON during a sensitisation lecture delivered to the 2026 Batch C Stream I Corps Members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Iseyin, Oyo State.
He underscored the need for strict adherence to established product standards by manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to ensure that goods circulating in the Nigerian market meet prescribed quality, safety and performance requirements.
Kamaldeen warned that the proliferation of substandard products posed significant risks to consumer safety, undermined confidence in locally manufactured goods and created an uneven playing field for businesses committed to regulatory compliance.
He noted that sustained disregard for product standards could impede industrial growth, compromise public welfare and weaken efforts to build a competitive and reliable manufacturing sector.
Emphasising the role of consumer vigilance in combating the menace, the SON representative urged Nigerians to scrutinise product labels, quality marks and other indicators of authenticity before making purchases.
He also encouraged consumers to verify the credibility of products and report suspected cases of counterfeiting and non-compliance to the appropriate regulatory authorities, while urging manufacturers and business owners to uphold quality standards as a fundamental obligation to consumers and the nation.
He charged Corps Members to leverage their Community Development Service (CDS) platforms to educate residents of their host communities on the dangers of substandard products and the importance of responsible consumption.
He maintained that their involvement in grassroots advocacy would help foster a culture of quality consciousness, promote patronage of genuine products and reinforce collective efforts to safeguard consumers and advance Nigeria’s economic development.
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