SON Launches PAM Sticker For Product Authentication

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has completed arrangements for the launch of 20 security features to eliminate goods counterfeiting.

The feature is named Product Authentication Mark (PAM), which is a sticker that will check the inflow of sub-standard goods imported into the country.

The Director General and Chief Executive, SON, Mallam Salim disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting on PAM in Lagos State on Friday while noting that the sticker isn’t mandatory for locally made goods.

According to a statement signed by the Director, Public Relations, Foluso Bolaji, Salim said the over twenty security features sticker when fully in use will address the prevailing challenges experienced as a result of dishonesty on the part of fraudulent importers and manufacturers of products.

Salim said “SON had introduced the Conformity Assessment Programme (CAP) which is meant for imported goods into Nigeria to make sure that goods coming into Nigeria are certified before they reach its market.

“Also imported products will be certified and given the Product Authentication Mark (PAM) and it will be in our market.

“The sticker which is not mandatory for the locally manufactured products for now but made voluntarily will have one of the twenty security features that will guarantee the security of their products.

“PAM will also protect genuine manufacturers and importers from faking and counterfeiting of their certified product as well as promote a level playing field in the market for both locally manufactured and imported products certified by SON,” he said.

The Director General also revealed that locally manufactured goods will be licensed by Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP).

According to Salim, this development is important in order not to be seen by the international community as creating a trade barrier so that imported goods cannot come into the country especially with Nigeria being a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He also revealed that a sister agency, the National Agency for Drug and Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has similar stickers for drugs.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Director Product Certification SON, Enebi Onucheyo said the organization decided to control the printing of the mark as well as improve its security features through physical and digital technology.

Onucheyo said “PAM will fortify the authenticity of SON-certified products belonging to genuine manufacturers and importers by providing a level playing field for imported and locally manufactured products.

“It will also ensure value for money to both consumers and manufacturers by diminishing the negative effects of faking, cloning, and counterfeiting of SON-certified products.

“PAM will further help Consumers identify genuine and certified SON-regulated products,” he noted.