Nigeria has secured international recognition for its measurement standards following the signing of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM MRA) in France by the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke.
The development, which coincided with Okeke’s third anniversary in office, is expected to strengthen the international acceptance of Nigeria’s calibration certificates, improve cross-border trade and reduce manufacturers’ dependence on foreign measurement services.
In a statement signed by SON’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Ethan Talatu on Wednesday, the organisation said Okeke signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria at the 28th meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM).
“The achievement follows Nigeria’s admission as an Associate State of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) on June 4, 2026,” the statement added.
Okeke described the development as a significant step towards integrating Nigeria into the international measurement system.
In Okeke’s words: “The CIPM MRA provides a framework for national metrology institutes to demonstrate the equivalence of our measurement standards, enabling our calibration and measurement certificates to gain international recognition.
“Its main outputs, internationally recognised Calibration and Measurement Capabilities, are published in the BIPM Key Comparison Database.”
According to Okeke, the arrangement would improve global confidence in Nigeria’s measurement capabilities and make it easier for Nigerian businesses to compete in international markets.
He added that the agreement would reduce the country’s reliance on foreign metrology services, strengthen SON’s technical authority and create opportunities for international scientific collaboration and capacity building.
For local manufacturers and small businesses, the development is expected to make product testing and certification more accessible while helping Nigerian products gain acceptance in overseas markets.
The milestone builds on the accreditation of three laboratories at Nigeria’s National Metrology Institute, covering mass, temperature and pressure measurements, to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard through the Egyptian Accreditation Council.
SON said the achievement also reflected ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s quality infrastructure and improve the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.
As part of its digital transformation drive, the organisation introduced the Digital Standards Platform, the electronic Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (e-MANCAP) and the Electronic Product Registration System.
It also moved its SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) and import permit processes to the National Single Window.
The reforms earned SON second place among federal ministries, departments and agencies in the 2024 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Transparency and Efficiency Report.
The organisation has also certified 131 companies and 220 products under the African Quality Mark, supporting local producers seeking to access markets across the continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
In addition, SON launched the Nigerian National Standardisation Strategy (2024–2027) and secured approval for 217 Nigerian Industrial Standards.
The agency has also developed more than 80 standards for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), supporting the Federal Government’s drive to expand gas-powered transportation.
SON said the international recognition of Nigeria’s measurement capabilities would complement these initiatives by improving confidence in Nigerian products, strengthening industrial development and supporting the country’s participation in global trade.