Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has lamented that of the 221 lubricant companies in Nigeria, less than 30 per cent of the number is certified by the organisation.
This is so as more than 75 per cent of the available Lube Blending Plants are operating in hiding and away from SON, either faking some products or supplying base oils as lubricant.
Gabriel J. Abah, Desk Officer, Base Oil and Lubricants at SON, who raised the alarm during a paper presentation titled “Lubricant and the Regulation of Its quality” at a one day workshop organised by SON in collaboration with Kanrich Dimension Limited yesterday.
SON tasked manufacturers on maintaining standards and industrial best practices.
Abah also expressed worry that about 64 per cent of lubricants imported into the Nigerian markets are below the approved standards, saying that statistics showed that 30 per cent of the substandard products found their way into the country’s lubricant market.
According to him, “We all owe Nigeria a duty to grow its economy and ensure wastages are plugged. SON is doing everything possible to protect the lubricant sub-sector, therefore concerted efforts and collective resolve from both public, private institutions and sectoral stakeholders in enforcing compliance with codes of practices will constitute formidable arsenal to fight the menace.”
The purpose of this workshop is to reduce the influx of substandard and adulterated lubricants in Nigerian by creating awareness among stakeholders and letting them know the consequences of getting involved in it.
In his keynote address, Mr. Osita Aboloma, Director-General (DG) of SON, said the organisation had been mounting campaign against the influx of substandard products into the country.
He enjoined manufacturers of lubricants to ensure their products meet the Nigerian Industrial Standard, adding that manufacturers should synergise with the distributors to curb faking and adulteration of the products.
According to him, “The purpose of this workshop is to reduce the influx of substandard and adulterated lubricants in Nigeria by creating awareness among stakeholders and letting them know the consequences of getting involved in it.
