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Building trust for trade

The concept

Nigeria lacks an internationally recognized National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) with the capacity to ensure safety, integrity and marketability of goods and services, and the removal of tech­nical barriers to local, regional and international trade.

With financial support of €12 million from the European Union (EU), UNIDO assists the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in implementing its stra­tegic framework, vision 20:2020 and transformation agenda, with the aim of developing policies and measures to improve compet­itiveness and diversification in the non-oil-related sectors of the economy. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of trade support institutions, improve business and investment climate, enhance consumer protection, and facilitate domestic and international trade. This will contribute to job creation and poverty alleviation.

The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments (FMITI) and its dependant Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) are at the centre of this initiative, which is technically supported by UNIDO as the implementing agency, and financed by the EU.

The objectives 

The National Quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria (NQIP) (2013-2017) aims to support the improvement and establishment of missing standards and quality control bodies, which are needed to improve the quality of products and services exchanged in its domestic market, as well as inter­nationally. The project will contribute to building trust and boosting competitiveness in the private sector, ensuring the protection of its consumers.

The project paves the way to solve the current NQI’s limita­tions by analyzing demand and supply hindrances of NQI services. Further, the project aims to develop a functional and internationally recognized National Accreditation Body (NAB) and National Metrology Institute (NMI), within the context of an updated National Quality Policy. To connect targeted actors to an improved quality infrastructure, the project seeks to increase awareness and knowledge of tech­nical regulations issues by associating and creating linkages for the Organized Private Sector (OPS) in the NQI.

Expected outcomes

  • A National Quality Policy (NQP) is promulgated and ensuing legislation for the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) is improved;

  • A National Accreditation Body (NAB) is established in coherence with the West African accreditation system and is internationally recognized;

  • A National Metrology Institute (NMI) is developed to ensure calibration of instruments and traceability of measurement to international standards;

  • Improved capacity of the Organized Private Sector (OPS) to create and/or support Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs);

  • Improved capacity of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Organized Private Sector (OPS) to raise awareness and promote quality for better consumer protection.