By Charles Nwaoguji
The Director General of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita Anthony Aboloma, has said that its new ultra modern laboratory complex will be ready for commissioning very soon.
Aboloma, who stated this at the 2017 Association of Industrial Microbiologists of Nigeria (AIMN) conference and Annual Symposium held recently in Lagos , said it is equipped with state of the art laboratory equipment.
He noted that after commissioning, the centre would serve diverse stakeholders better and also contribute its quota in the area of capacity building for biotechnological advancement by offering laboratory services in molecular assays with internally accredited best practices.
The DG, who was represented by the Head of Department, Laboratory Service, Mrs. Mojiola Kehinde noted that currently SON has accredited food technology laboratories.
“These laboratories were accredited after demonstrating competence to handle certain parameters which are proximate analyses and microbiology parameters,” he said.
He stated that the certification process involve laboratory testing to assure the quality of both locally manufactured and imported products.
“This agency is committed to technological development and growth of Nigeria as a nation and as such all issues bordering on biotechnological innovations to improve the national economy is a laudable ventures, added.
Speaking at the Association of Industrial Microbiologists of Nigeria (AIMN) event, Dr. Joy Ehiwuogu-Onyibe said that the global demand for enzymes is over $8 billion.
She said that Nigeria imports all enzymes needed for industrial processes in the country, adding that these is no local manufacturing of any enzymes which is not good for economy.
Ehiwuogu-Onyibe said Nigeria can be net exporter of enzymes in the world because of the huge natural resource available in the country.
She noted that it was projected that in 2016 global fermented foods/ingredients market will be over $600 billion.
She stated that Nigeria is an insignificant player in fermentation industry sector despite raw materials availability and favourable environmental conditions and that small and medium industries can take advantage of this huge amount in the sector , especially in the face of current paid job scarcity, to venture into small and medium scale bio-based productions.