By Nkechi Eze
In a vibrant display of its commitment to youth empowerment and the promotion of quality consciousness, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) hosted engineering students from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on a technical learning visit to its state-of-the-art laboratory complex in Ogba, Lagos, on May 19, 2025.
The educational excursion, which forms part of SON’s strategic outreach to academic institutions, aimed to expose future engineers to real-world applications of standards in ensuring product safety, quality assurance, and national development. The visit provided students with a unique, hands-on experience in one of Nigeria’s most advanced standards-testing facilities.
Welcoming the students on behalf of the Director General/Chief Executive of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, was the Deputy Director of Laboratory Services, Mr. Adetoyi Adeyinka Oluwarotimi. He highlighted the significance of such industry-academia engagements in bridging the knowledge gap between theoretical learning and industrial practices.
“This visit is more than just a tour it’s an immersion into the heartbeat of quality infrastructure,” Mr. Oluwarotimi said. “As future engineers, your role in nation-building starts with understanding the standards that protect lives and support economic growth.”
Throughout the session, the students were introduced to the scope of SON’s laboratory services, including testing procedures for consumer goods, industrial products, and materials. Detailed explanations were given on the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for domestically manufactured products and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) for imports both of which are crucial for ensuring that only quality-assured products enter the Nigerian market.
“One of the first things we want every Nigerian especially our engineers to understand is that quality is not accidental,” Mr. Oluwarotimi told the students. “It is a product of intentional design, testing, and verification. That’s why you should always look out for the MANCAP and SONCAP marks they are signs that a product has been scrutinized and approved by SON.”
The highlight of the day was an extensive guided tour of the laboratory complex, where students observed various testing processes, interacted with laboratory technicians, and asked practical questions about materials testing, calibration services, and chemical analyses. Many of the visiting students expressed enthusiasm about the exposure and said it deepened their appreciation for the role of standards in engineering.
A final interactive session allowed the students to reflect on their learnings and express their interest in future collaborations, internships, and research opportunities with SON.
“Today has been an eye-opener. We’ve always learned about standards in theory, but seeing the processes in action has changed how I think about engineering design and product safety,” said Adebayo O., a 400-level mechanical engineering student.
The visit concluded with group photographs and a renewed pledge by SON to continue fostering partnerships with academic institutions to build a new generation of quality-conscious professionals.
“We are building more than infrastructure here,” Mr. Oluwarotimi remarked. “We are building a culture of quality and that starts with empowering young minds like yours.”
With initiatives like this, SON continues to play a pivotal role not only as a regulatory authority but also as a catalyst for innovation, industrial growth, and academic collaboration in Nigeria.
