The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) National Steel Task Force has sealed 13 steel factories across the Nation for Standards infractions over failure to meet the minimum requirements for ′diameter′ and ′mass per meter′ as provided in the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS 117:2004).
According to the Chairman of the SON Task Force on Steel, Engr. Enebi Onucheyo, in a press statement issued yesterday in Abuja said the companies located in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Abia and Edo States were shut until further notice following a Nationwide market surveillance carried out by the SON Task Force between November 2019 and January 2020.
He stated that, samples of various steel products were obtained from the open market as well as the facilities of the companies during the surveillance exercises.
Enebi stated that given the SON classification of Steel Bars as life-endangering products, the Nigeria Industrial Standards provides for unique identification marks for every locally manufactured or imported steel bars for easy traceability.
According to him, Laboratory Tests and Analysis carried out on the samples revealed that most of them failed to meet the minimum requirements for ′diameter′ and ′mass per meter′ as provided in the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS 117:2004).
These Enebi said are critical parameters in the standard for reinforcement bars for concrete.
Enebi said the shut down exercise followed earlier warnings to all the steel manufacturing companies on observed infractions with directives to ensure strict compliance with the requirements of the NIS 117:2004.
Commenting on the standards enforcement activity, the SON Director General, Osita Aboloma reiterated the need to promote quality made-in-Nigeria products preparatory to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
