‘Why Nigerian products remain uncompetitive in global trade’

The Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku has blamed the absence of accredited laboratories to test locally manufactured products or services for international standards as the reason for the country’s uncompetitive global trade.

He explained that the nation’s development was hinged on science and investment in human capital, lamenting that despite the claim of being the “biggest economy” Nigeria has only two accredited laboratories to test locally manufactured products.

He spoke in Enugu at the 24th training workshop of the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN) where he hinged the economic recession on the failure to add value to the nation’s natural resources.

Ahaneku, who gave an address on “Laboratory as resource for national development” observed that local manufacturers, especially those in export business continued to complain about product rejection due to lack of global quality certification caused by inadequate test and metrology laboratories.

He said: “Although the country, through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) recently recorded a feat when its food laboratory got the approval of the International Laboratory Cooperation, stakeholders consider this a minor achievement considering that this endorsement covered only Nigeria’s food export commodities.

“Stakeholders in the minerals and mining sector whose activities also form part of the new strategic emphasis on growing the non-oil sector are still complaining over the rejection of their products.”

He said Nigeria currently depends on American standards certification bodies to get international referencing for its own products, while samples of goods to be tested are flown to other foreign countries like Ghana and South Africa.

The President of IPAN, Dr. Dahiru Adamu said the organisation would take advantage of the recession to support the call for the development of science and technology for a better future and a robust economy for the country.