Gilbert Ekugbe
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has entered into a partnership with the Office of the First Lady of Niger State, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bago, to promote women’s empowerment, enterprise development, and economic resilience across the state.
The collaboration was announced during a courtesy visit to the First Lady in Minna by the Director General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, who was represented by the Coordinator of SON Niger State Office 1, Minna, Mrs. Hauwa Yusufu, on Saturday.
The visit was aimed at strengthening institutional relationships, conveying goodwill, expressing condolences over recent security challenges in the state, and exploring areas of collaboration to support women-focused empowerment programmes spearheaded by the First Lady.
Speaking during the visit, Yusufu highlighted SON’s mandate of supporting local industries through standardisation and quality assurance.
She noted that the organisation’s Entrepreneurship Support Programme has led to the certification of over 300 products under the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) and the Product Information Scheme (PIS), enabling small and medium-scale enterprises to access both local and international markets.
She further encouraged women entrepreneurs in the state to leverage opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stressing that standardisation remains critical to business sustainability and economic growth.
“Standardisation is key to ensuring that regulatory activities thrive, which in turn will help sustain the impact of the First Lady’s empowerment programmes,” Yusufu said.
The SON delegation also presented a letter of appreciation to Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bago in recognition of her attendance at the recent official opening of the SON Niger State Office.
Also, copies of the SON Act 2015 and other organisational publications were equally presented.
In her response, the First Lady expressed appreciation for the visit and commended SON for strengthening its operational presence in Niger State.
She reaffirmed her commitment to partnering with the organisation to improve the livelihoods of women and promote community development through sustained collaboration.
The delegation was warmly received by the First Lady alongside senior state officials, including the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Hadiza Idris Kuta, and the Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ladidi Bosso.
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