SON, IEC commits to partnership on global electrical standards in Nigeria
By Lucy Ogalue
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration on electrical and electronic standardisation in Nigeria.
The Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said this at a Stakeholders Forum organised by SON in collaboration with IEC and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abuja.
The Forum was organised as part of the 2025 African tour and official visit of the Secretary-General and Chief Executive of the IEC, Mr Philippe Metzger, to Nigeria.
Okeke, described the visit as historic and a major boost for Nigeria’s standardisation efforts in the electrical and electronic sector.
“Today is a memorable day for us in the standardisation fraternity. We are honoured to host the IEC secretary-general, which signifies Nigeria’s growing influence and commitment to international standards,” Okeke said.
He said that Nigeria became an affiliate member of the IEC in 2006 and attained full membership in 2017, adding that the country, through SON, now mirrored 23 IEC technical committees locally.
According to him, Nigeria’s involvement in IEC activities has led to the adoption and nationalisation of international standards, with a direct impact on local production quality.
“One of our major achievements is the improvement in the quality of Nigerian electrical cables, which are now globally competitive,” Okeke stated.
The SON D-G urged Nigerian manufacturers to leverage the IEC Conformity Assessment Schemes to gain international certification for their products, boost exports, and reduce rejections in global markets.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NERC, Mr Sanusi Garba, also welcomed the IEC team, stating that the visit was timely, given the ongoing power sector reforms following the enactment of the Electricity Act 2023.
Garba said that with states now empowered to regulate electricity within their jurisdictions, there was an urgent need for alignment and adherence to robust national and international standards.
“Standards are essential for safety, efficiency, and reliability in the electricity market. We must ensure operators comply with them to avoid unnecessary accidents or system failures,” he said.
Also speaking, the IEC secretary-general urged Nigeria to fully embrace international standards in the fields of clean energy, digital technologies, and smart grids.
According to Metzger, this will help to boost the country’s integration into global supply chains and accelerate industrial innovation.
He emphasised the IEC’s commitment to safety, efficiency, and sustainability through cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence, digital twins, and smart energy systems.
According to Metzger, these technologies are tools to enhance productivity and innovation, not mere trends.
He reiterated the importance of standards in safeguarding quality and preventing unsafe products from entering the Nigerian market.
He further stressed the role of IEC in enabling smart grids that manage multi-way power flows and integrate renewable energy effectively.
The secretary-general also underscored IEC’s work on emerging energy solutions, including certification for low carbon hydrogen and robust cybersecurity standards tailored for industrial environments, critical to Nigeria’s growing energy sector.
On sustainability, Metzger reiterated recent IEC initiatives such as carbon footprint verification and circular economy services, aimed at supporting Nigeria’s ambitions for environmentally responsible industrial growth.
He called for increased participation of young Nigerian engineers and experts in IEC’s programmes, noting the essential role of digital natives in shaping the future of standards and innovation.
“Nigeria has incredible know-how and talent. Your young professionals must be empowered to inject new ideas into global standards,” he said.
Metzger expressed optimism about the ongoing partnership with Nigeria and encouraged stakeholders to deepen collaboration through the national committee to harness the full potential of clean energy and digital transformation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants at the forum include academia, manufacturing sector, regulators, and consumer groups.
The aim of the forum was to enable the stakeholders engage with the IEC delegation and discuss ways to further deepen Nigeria’s role in global standardisation efforts.(NAN)
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
Earlier, Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the ministry, emphasised that validating irrigation standards would help tackle key development challenges in Nigeria.
Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, SON Director General, announced the release of two key documents to enhance national standardisation.
Okeke noted that these efforts supported Nigeria’s commitment to the UN’s SDGs and encouraged participants to contribute their expertise in developing a framework for sustainable irrigation water safety.
