Market News

BY  Ojochenemi Onje

The governments of the United Kingdom and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to boosting trade relations and economic growth through the implementation of Nigeria’s National Quality Policy (NNQP) under the Standards Partnership Programme (SPP) – Phase II. 

Launched in June 2024 during the African Organisation for Standards (ARSO) General Assembly in Abuja, the SPP – Phase II is backed by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The initiative aims to eliminate technical trade barriers, improve regulatory compliance, and enhance Nigeria’s export competitiveness.

The programme is being implemented by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Quality Council (NQC), under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

It seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s quality infrastructure by improving standardisation, accreditation, conformity assessment, inspection, testing, and metrology services.

These efforts are expected to boost UK- Nigeria exports, attract investments, and align Nigeria’s trade practices with global standards.

A key step in implementing the NNQP was the recent Training-of-Trainers Workshop held in Lagos and Abuja, where public and private sector stakeholders gathered to discuss quality compliance and the role of metrology in ensuring accurate measurement, calibration, and certification of goods.

Speaking at the workshop in Abuja, George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to a quality-driven economy, stating:

“A strong National Quality Infrastructure is essential for Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

“Improving our standards, metrology, and accreditation systems can boost non-oil exports, create jobs, and strengthen the naira. This partnership with the UK is a major step forward in achieving these goals.”

Echoing this, Osita Aboloma, Chairman and Chief Executive of the NQC, underscored the importance of stakeholder collaboration in achieving Nigeria’s trade and quality objectives.

He noted that a well-established quality infrastructure would support the Federal Government’s economic agenda while enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigerian products and services.

Simeon Umukoro, Trade Market Access Lead at the UK Department for Business and Trade, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Nigeria’s economic diversification and trade enhancement under the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).

“The UK and Nigeria remain strategic partners in trade and investment. By improving Nigeria’s National Quality Infrastructure, we are unlocking new opportunities to drive innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth for both nations,” he said. Nigeria is currently the UK’s 38th largest trading partner. This collaboration aims to align industrial and machinery standards to facilitate trade between both nations.

According to a statement by the Commission, it also seeks to improve regulatory cooperation under the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).

Just as the partnership will strengthen Nigeria’s role as the Digital Trade Champion under AfCFTA by leveraging quality infrastructure to expand regional and global trade. “Since its launch, the SPP programme has played a crucial role in enhancing Nigeria’s quality infrastructure through legislative, standardisation, and accreditation support”, the statement reads.