Trade and investment relations between Nigeria and Egypt may have received a major boost, following the signing in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries.
Dr Joseph Odumodu, Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said as part of efforts of SON to combat the importation? of substandard products into the country, the MoU seeks the harmonisation of standards issued by the parties, as a way of easing trade and checkmating unwholesome products.
While Nigeria was represented at the event by the SON, Egypt was represented by two key governmental agencies – the General Organisation for Export and Import Control (GOEIC), and the Egyptian Organisation for Standardisation and Quality, (EOS).
Odumodu said that both countries agreed to harmonies quality standards issued by their standards bodies in accordance to international and regional specifications and in a bid to remove technical barriers to trade.
They are also to exchange experts, training, testing as well as standardisation and conformity assessment activities.
Before the singing of the agreement, the delegates have underscored the common desire to facilitate and develop commercial exchanges between them as well as to upgrade mutual technical cooperation in the fields of standardisation and conformity assessment activities.
This is coming at the time that the SON is working doggedly to stem the incidence of substandard products in the country, and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding? would help the agency to pursue and achieve its targets.
This is because Egypt is considered a major gateway to the Arab world and enjoys tremendous advantage in the areas of population and boisterous economy.
According to the MoU, each party is expected to recognize conformity assessment certificates issued by the other party, alongside the exchange of information vital to the jobs of products standardisation.
Speaking to journalists after the signing, expressed the optimism that the MoU has now provided an opportunity to consummate a relationship that would to more mutually beneficial relationship, adding that his agency would start implementation of the agreement immediately upon return to Nigeria.
He said the success of the MoU would be measured in terms of the volume of? trade that would be recorded between both countries, expressing the hope that this should be more than double in the next three? years.
Odumodu noted that Egypt was a strategic country to Nigeria’s business interest given its population and geo-political relevance in the Arab world.
“ The signing of this agreement is a major breakthrough in the strides to checkmate substandard imports into the country.
“ It would also encourage more Nigerian exports into the Arab world,’’ he said
According to him, following the agreement, Nigerian stands to benefit in the areas of training, capacity building and infrastructural development:
: “Let me give you an example, we are just beginning to set up our metrology lab ; So what we see as an opportunity today is that we can actually send our people to Egypt and gain some experience in metrology”.
He said another reason the agency decided to collaborate with African countries is because its shares the same background with them, and faces similar challenges with them.
“And I believe it is important to share ideas with them on how they have coped with some of the challenges they have had within their environments, and so looking at the environment in Egypt compared with Nigeria, we believe that an Egyptian experience will help us to learn few things about”
In the area of exchange programmes, the SON Chief said it offers opportunity for Nigerian SMEs especially, which are over 20 million in number currently, adding that this agency decided to accommodate them in its standardisation projections given their importance in job creation and the development of the economy generally.
He cited example with the Asian region where SMEs have particularly played active part in economic development, adding that Nigerian agencies like the Bank of Industry (BOI), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Ministry of Trade and Investment have done much to impact.
He said the interaction with the Egyptian agencies has further fired his resolve to help Nigerian SMEs improve their processes and the quality of their products, saying the SON would help Nigeria SMEs to get ISO 900 certifications.
The MoU which read in parts stated that:
it was based on both Parties’ common desire to facilitate trade
In addition, to upgrade mutual technical cooperation in the field of Standardization and Conformity Assessment activities
The agreement would give birth to both countries to exchange information, including exchange of information on the International, regional and foreign Standards, and statistics, among others.
also entails harmonizing standards issued by the both countries in accordance with international and regional standards in order to eliminate technical barriers in trade.
exchange of experts and training in the fields of testing, standardization and Conformity Assessment activities, and standards and technical regulations
the parties would likely invite each other to participate in training courses, seminars and conferences related to Standardisation, Conformity Assessment and related activities.