The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has launched the Special Economic Zones Conformity Assessment Programme (SEZCAP) to enhance Nigeria’s trade capacity within the Calabar Trade Zone and promote the export of locally manufactured goods.

The Director-General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, represented by Akinware Ayodele, Deputy Director, MANCAP, disclosed this on Wednesday in Calabar during an engagement with stakeholders and operators of the Special Economic Zone at the Calabar Free Trade Zone (FTZ) office.

Ayodele urged stakeholders to take advantage of the certification scheme to expand their export potential across Africa and other international markets.

He explained that SEZCAP addresses long-standing regulatory and operational challenges faced by exporters, noting that FTZ firms are charged ₦2 million for initial registration and ₦1.5 million for yearly renewal.

“We came here to sensitise Free Trade Zone operators about the Special Economic Zone Conformity Assessment Programme (SEZCAP), newly introduced by SON,” Ayodele said.

“We are encouraging them to key into the scheme. FTZ firms are charged ₦2 million for initial registration, renewable at ₦1.5 million yearly.”

He noted that existing SON schemes, such as the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for locally manufactured products and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) for imports, could not legally apply to FTZ operators, as a Free Trade Zone is effectively a “country within a country.”

SEZCAP, he said, was designed to close that regulatory gap and ensure that goods produced in FTZs meet the same quality standards as those made domestically.

“This programme is designed to enable locally manufactured goods to meet international quality requirements,” he added. “We really need these certifications to protect Nigerians.

“Products manufactured in Free Trade Zones often target the Nigerian market, so we must ensure they meet national industrial standards, protect consumers, guarantee quality, and contribute to economic development.”

The Head of Operations, Calabar Free Trade Zone, Okaba Lylia-Inayi, said previous certification routes such as MANCAP and SONCAP had caused confusion among FTZ operators, who argued that their products were locally made but located in a legally distinct customs area. She noted that SEZCAP now provides a clear, dedicated pathway for certification.

“Before, it used to be messy — some said it should be MANCAP, others said SONCAP,” she explained. “Now we have a simple online system: log in, upload documents, get tested, and you’re certified.

SON has provided a dedicated pathway for FTZ firms, eliminating the ‘country-within-a-country’ dispute and streamlining compliance.”

Managing Director of Combination Industries FZE, the longest-standing operator in the Calabar Free Trade Zone, Nick Mirpuri, commended SON for the initiative, describing SEZCAP as “a giant step” toward ensuring that FTZ products meet global standards.

He revealed that his firm holds SEZCAP registration No. 001 and urged authorities to harmonise certification fees with those applicable to domestic manufacturers.

“If we as a Free Zone enterprise are paying ₦2 million to register and ₦1.5 million annually, what does the average manufacturer within the economy pay?” Mirpuri asked.

“Does the local regulatory framework protect us equally, and are standards uniformly enforced for goods meant for export and local sales? These are the concerns we’ve raised.”