Business
JUST IN: SON Warns Auto Dealers Against Cloning Successful Brands
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has warned manufacturers and dealers in the country’s automotive industry to desist from cloning successful vehicles brands in order to make quick gains, and depriving the trade mark owners of their benefits.
Mallam Farouk Salim, the Director- General, SON, gave the warning during a parley with the Auto Spare Parts and Machineries Dealers Association (ASPAMDA), in Lagos.
“We all must ensure that only products that comply with laid down Nigeria Industrial Standards are available for sale in this market,” he said.
He said that the the SON Act 2015 empowers the agency to arrest and prosecute offenders, stressing that it would step up its ante to make it impossible for fakers to thrive.
He noted that SON has been working in every sector to bring sanity and raise the confidence of manufacturers, importers and consumers, maintaining standards are improved and reviewed regularly to meet up with current realities.
“SON will continue to seek greater collaboration with private sector, especially the ASPAMDA, to sanitize the market, expose and prosecute those engaging in illegal activities such as relabeling and cloning of popular brands with low quality varieties,” he said.
He noted that just like other big markets across the country, ASPAMDA has become a household name, adding that the Standards body acknowledges the importance of the market and would continuously seek out ways to collaborate and carry along all the stakeholders of the very vital market in the business of standardisation.
” We need your continuous support to discharge our mandate of ensuring that only products and services that are of high standard and quality are in circulation. We need to involve all of you towards ensuring strict adherence to the requirements of applicable standards in line with international best practices,” he said.
Business
BUA Foods target expansion into noodles industry
Rabiu described the expansion programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s industrial future, emphasising that the company’s growth ambitions are driven by a commitment to national development rather than scale alone.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu disclosed that it’s food arm – BUA Foods is going into new sectors such as instant noodles because “we see it as a very important sector because of its affordability and its accessibility.”
Rabiu made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday during the 5th Annual General Meeting of BUA Foods.
He also disclosed that as part of efforts to boost food sufficiency, “we are doubling our wheat milling capacity from over a million to over two million, wheat per annum. And that is huge.”
“We are also tripling the capacity of our edible oil business. In fact, we are setting up a brand new oil mill in Port Harcourt.
Rabiu described the expansion programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s industrial future, emphasising that the company’s growth ambitions are driven by a commitment to national development rather than scale alone.
“Our ambition has never been to become bigger simply for the sake of size. We are building scale because Nigeria needs strong indigenous companies capable of competing at the highest level, investing for the long term and creating lasting value,” he said.
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Business
IEA ratifies Nigeria as an Association Country
In response, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, said : “I am elated with the decision of the IEA Members to officially welcome Nigeria to the IEA Family as an Association country;
Photo: Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources ( Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo (left) and the IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, at the event. Credit: IEA
The Governing Board of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has unanimously agreed for Nigeria to join the IEA Family as an Association country.
“I am thrilled that Nigeria is joining the IEA – it is Africa’s most populous country and a major international energy player. Nigeria becoming part of the world’s energy authority marks a milestone for global energy governance. I am very thankful to President Tinubu and Minister Ekpo for their trust in the IEA,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
Emphasising that Nigeria is home to over 240 million people and one of Africa’s largest economies, Faith Birol acknowledged that Nigeria is a major producer of oil and natural gas and is one of the continent’s most dynamic renewable energy markets.
“As Nigeria works to strengthen energy security, support economic growth and expand energy access, deeper cooperation with the IEA will bring important benefits for both sides. We look forward to building on our already strong partnership and welcoming Nigeria to the IEA, ” he said
In response, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, said : “I am elated with the decision of the IEA Members to officially welcome Nigeria to the IEA Family as an Association country;
“It is an honour for Nigeria to join this leading energy agency and I will take this opportunity to encourage the African continent to embrace the IEA, as we all work together to achieve key development goals including universal energy access and industrialisation.”
The IEA Governing Board’s decision builds on a strong history of engagement and collaboration between Nigeria and the IEA since 2014.
In September 2025, the IEA, Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources and the African Energy Commission (AFREC) jointly convened a Regional Roundtable on “Turning Methane Pledges into Action” in Abuja, bringing together energy stakeholders from across the region to advance efforts to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector.
As an Association country, Nigeria and the IEA will work more closely across a wide range of energy issues, including on the Agency’s engagement in sub-Saharan Africa.
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