Nigeria’s standardization efforts get a boost as SON partners with University of Ilorin

Stanley Ihedigbo

University of Ilorin and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have entered into a historic partnership aimed at driving growth, innovation, and excellence in quality assurance and standardization.

The partnership, which was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is expected to have far-reaching impacts on national development, product safety, consumer protection, and industrial competitiveness.

In his welcome address, Director General/Chief Executive of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, emphasized the importance of collaboration and research in driving growth and innovation.

He noted that the partnership with the University of Ilorin would enable SON to leverage the expertise of the academic community in refining and improving testing methodologies.

Deputy Director R&D at the University of Ilorin, Dr. George Adeniyi, represented the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Technology & Innovation, at the event.

He highlighted the potential benefits of the collaboration, including enhanced research opportunities, knowledge sharing, and capacity building.

The partnership is expected to facilitate joint research projects, training programs, curriculum development, laboratory collaborations, faculty and student exchange, and professional development initiatives.

These activities will not only enhance the quality of Nigerian products and services but also create opportunities for students and professionals to gain practical experience in the field of standardization.

The University of Ilorin’s Vice-Chancellor expressed excitement about the opportunities the partnership would bring, particularly in terms of accessing SON’s vast resources.

The university aims to become a one-stop market for knowledge and intellectual resources, leveraging its global connections with scholars from various universities.

By partnering with SON, the university’s students and researchers will gain access to state-of-the-art laboratories and testing mechanisms, enhancing their research capabilities.

The collaboration is also expected to contribute significantly to national development by improving product safety, consumer protection, and industrial competitiveness.

Similar collaborations have been successful in other fields, such as healthcare, where partnerships between researchers and healthcare providers have led to innovative solutions like AI-powered cancer diagnosis tools. In the business world, partnerships can also facilitate growth, as seen in the collaboration between Murphy and Son and the University of Nottingham, which has led to advancements in brewing science.