Frequently Asked Questions

One Year

SON will contact you

No, it is not the same.

Product Certificate is associated with SONCAP Certificate, while Product Registration Certificate is issued after the

completion of product registration processes

We have desk offices in ASPAMDA, Alaba, Computer Village, Ikeja/Aluminium village, Dopemu in Lagos and in every state office of SON nationwide.

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The is a product that can have adverse effect on human life if they are not of good quality e.g Electric cables, LPG

Cylinders, Electric bulbs, Engine oil, Tyres etc

Six weeks from payment to the issuance of Certificate

» a. CAC Registration

» b. Trademark Certificate

» c. Letter of Authority to distribute the products in Nigeria

» d. Application Form.

» e. Laboratory Test Result

» f. Evidence of payment (TSA receipt)

Stamps shall be affixed on each rims.

Fees: N3/stamp

Turnaround time: 3 days upon approval of request and payment.

Yes, it applies to all finished and packaged petroleum and lubricant products for sales.

Yes, re-packaged fertilizer and cement by importer into small bags for sale will require the use of MANCAP PAM stamps.

Affixing of PAM stamps should be after clearance but before offer for sale. The fixing should be at the warehouse.

Stamps don’t form clearance trail, it is after port clearance that stamps should be affixed. However, application for PAM stamps must be submitted before SON final clearance

No, stickers are applied to items that will sell at a retail outlet.

Stamps don’t form clearance trail, it is after port clearance that stamps should be affixed. However, application for PAM stamps must be submitted before SON final clearance.

The test report used to clear the goods at the point of entry will form the basis of issuance of PAM stamps and the importer will be required to submit the test report, packing list and receipt of payment of the requisite penalties for goods that are subject to destination inspection

Goods that were imported with valid SONCAP Certificate prior to commencement of the programme can still apply for the PAM stamps.

Moratorium period will be given to them.

The mark/sticker is applied on each and every product to ensure traceability and tracking and shall not be defaced in any way to ensure legibility and conspicuousness. They may be applied by hand or using suitable applicators.

The marks are issued as stickers that are specific to each product. These stickers bear security features plus a QR Code that a smart phone is able to scan and are to be issued in the same quantities commensurate to the production units.

The cost of each sticker is N3.00

The mark is issued upon application by the manufacturer or importer having paid the application fee.

This is a mark of quality that is affixed on all products to demonstrate their conformity to approved standards.

Some of the gains of the SONCAP program include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ensuring that regulated products comply with the NIS or approved international standards prior to export to Nigeria.
• Providing a level playing field in terms of quality for both Imported and locally manufactured products to prevent unfair trade practices and unfair competition with substandard.
• Easing trade in Nigeria by preventing delays in the clearance of Imported products at Nigerian Ports and Borders, and all Customs Entry Points and Terminals where consignments are being processed for clearance
• Easing trade in Nigeria by fast-tracking clearance via pre-shipment document submission, Inspections, and pre-consignment arrival clearance document processing.
• Preventing the dumping of substandard goods in the Nigerian market and in turn, preventing economic loss to the genuine importers and the nation at large.
• Forestalling any adverse reaction (such as environmental pollution occasioned by the destruction of substandard products) by regulatory Agencies on the arrival of such goods in Nigeria.
• Encouraging genuine investors and investment in Nigeria.
• Promoting MANCAP-certified Made in Nigeria products by ensuring conformity to Standards of imported products.
• Conserving foreign exchange by regulating the importation of regulated products.

Yes, as the SONCAP certificate is consignment specific

• Register and activate FIRS TIN on the national trade portal trade.gov.ng
• Process the PC through any of the IAF
• Apply for CBN FormM and attach the PC
• Process the SC through the chosen IAF
• Apply for NCS PAAR and attach the SC
• Process NCS SGD
• Inform the SON Port and Border Operations to process the clearance of the consignment out of the ports.

The Import Permit is only issued to exempt certain categories of imports of regulated products from offshore certification. Such categories include imported Industrial Machinery, project-specific items, Humanitarian/Charitable items, and other non-commercial products.

All other products must be certified as meeting the requirements of application standards; thus, all other products must process PC

SON and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote the economic and industrial growth of local industries.

Thus, local manufacturers have been given special service charges when processing the SONCAP Import Permit to import raw materials, packaging materials, and production machinery.

• By browsing through the relevant sections of my experience after logging into the SONCAP portal.
• The certificate can also be viewed and downloaded after it has been successfully attached to the FormM or PAAR on the trade portal.

Through liaison with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The FIRS is responsible for the issuance and management of the TIN.

To process SONCAP Import Permit, an applicant must register as an Importer on the SONCAP Portal through the link https://soncap.son.gov.ng/

The lifespan of a certificate is a maximum of 12 months after which the payment is deemed utilized and the certificate no longer valid.

Payment for SONCAP Import Permit is a one-off.

This is the maximum turnaround time approved to process these items in line with the implementation of SON’s ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

No, the TIN is the basis for identifying importers during the importation and clearance of goods in Nigeria

Importation made directly by the FG is entitled to concession. However, all importation made using the name of a contractor or private entities shall be processed in line with the procedure for processing SONCAP Import Permit without concession.

No, you can’t

No, you can’t

A certificate issued on a TIN is not transferable

Every article coming to Nigeria, even donated items, must possess evidence of conformity to applicable requirements. This is provided for by using the SONCAP Certificate to ensure that the item of import complies with the Federal Government regulations guiding the importation of products.

For donated items, the NGO may apply for SONCAP Import Permit. The application shall be processed in line with the guideline for processing the importation of donated non-commercial articles.

Exemptions are granted only under special conditions for relief items imported by International NGOs, and charity organisations and for personal articles imported by diplomatic missions. However, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria is obligated to ensure that items being imported are safe for use and fit for purpose.

Before creating an account as an importer on the SONCAP App, it is advisable to register with a valid and accessible email address and phone number.

SON cannot assist any client who may have lost access to the registered email. The solution is to recover the registered email address or to create another account using another email address.

The Import Permit for processing FormM has a validity of 12 months, after which it becomes invalid.

This is a control measure as a PFI validity is usually no longer than three months after which the value therein is no longer valid, thus, an IMP validity is to correlate with the PFI validity.

For cautionary reasons, every FormM IMP should have been utilized to process CBN FormM within six months after the issuance.

Yes, you must

No, you cannot

PAAR activation can be rejected for a combination of reasons, namely:

• HS code and number of items approved for the PC differ from that now being declared during PAAR activation
• The number of items declared during PAAR activation is more than the number approved on the PC
• The value of the articles declared during PAAR activation is more than the value declared and approved on the PC
• The required document(s) were not attached, or not in the approved format.
  • FormM
  • Final Invoice
  • Bill Lading
  • NSA EUC

Other approvals.

Demand Note values are determined using any combination of the following criteria:

• 5% FOB subject to a minimum of #550,000.00
• Item of Import, HS code, and their use
• Availability of alternative locally
• Terms on the SON-MAN MOU for members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
• MANCAP certification status of the product whose raw material is being imported

Special charges as approved by SON’s Management.

• Issuance of Demand Note – 3 Working Days
• Activation of Import Permit to NICIS Portal – 3 Working Days
• Activation of Import Permit for PAAR- 3 Working Days (Note: All Pre-Arrival Assessment Report Applications must be carried out at the time of departure of consignments to Nigeria. Any application for PAAR for goods already at Nigerian Ports and Borders will be termed as default and penalized accordingly.

The SONCAP Import permit is issued to exempt certain categories of imports of regulated products from offshore certification (SONCAP).

Such categories include raw materials, packaging, and Industrial Machinery imported by Bonafide manufacturers imported.

Bonafide manufacturers who intend to import machinery, raw materials, and packaging materials to produce SON-regulated products, are advised to apply to the SONCAP Division SONCAP Import Permit (equivalent to the Product Certificate) to enable them to optimize production, save time and cost, and further participation in the MANCAP scheme.

Other articles permitted under SONCAP Import Permit are Project specific items, Humanitarian/Charitable items, and other non-commercial products.

• Import Permit is issued after the evaluation of the importer, import documents, intent of importation, and permit verification inspection (pre or post-import) by SON.
• All of the above forms the basis for the approval or denial of an application, under the directive of the Director General.
• All commercial items and articles for subsequent sale and distribution are to be processed through the SONCAP Product certification route to ensure conformity to standards, fitness for purpose, and safety.

The following items are exempted from the SONCAP Offshore certification scheme:

• Food products.
• Medicines
• Medicals, other than equipment and machines.
• Chemicals, used as raw materials by bonafide manufacturers, to produce food products and medicines (note that some chemicals whose usage also extend to other industrial purposes aside from Food and medicines are regulated by SON)
• Goods clarified as contraband by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
• Used products, other than automobiles (refurbished and re-engineered commercial article must process Import Permit)

The exemption of some products from the SONCAP Offshore scheme does not translate to some of these articles not being regulated by SON.

Importation of some sensitive, high-risk, life-endangering, and associated products, is mandated to be processed through a special license issued by the Director General/Chief Executive (SON). In such circumstances, the importer will be guided on the importation process.

No.

One of the key requirements for processing SONCAP and Import Permits is the FIRS Tax Identification Number (TIN). This TIN must be registered for trade on the trade portal before it can be used to process any of SON’s clearance certificate

• Products Certificate (PC1) – Unregistered /Unlicensed (Conformity verification) – valid for six months and for single use.
• Product Certificate (2) (Registered Status) – valid for 12 Months (One Year) multiple use.
• Product Certificate (PC3) (Licensed Status) – valid for 12 months (one year) multiple use.

No.

The SONCAP is an offshore and pre-shipment certification scheme, thus, cannot be processed after the consignment has left the country of origin. What is applicable at this stage is the SONCAP Default, which shall be charged at 20% CIF of the consignment or 2 million Naira, whichever is higher

No.

SONCAP Certificate is only limited to processing a single PAAR consignment and issued to only one entity

SCs are generated within 96 Hours considering all time zones.

However, SCs can be generated within 24 Hours subject to the following fulfillments:

• All Qualifying documents and Test Reports are submitted within a reasonable time frame.

All products comply with applicable standard requirements.

$350.00 per certificate

• Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) = $500
• Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) = $1000
• Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status) = $2,000
• New Product = $350
• Certificate amendment fee = $100
• Non-conformity Report = $350.00
• Additional model to be included in the same certificate, and covered in the same test report, is charged at an additional$10.00 per month of validity per model.
  • PC1 = $60
  • PC2 = $120
  • PC3 = $120

PCs are generated within 96 Hours considering all time zones.

However, PCs can be generated within 24 Hours subject to the following fulfillments:

• All Qualifying documents and Test Reports are submitted within a reasonable time frame.

All products comply with applicable standard requirements.

The IAFs are the Independent Accredited Firms (IAFs) engaged to conduct offshore Conformity Assessments, on behalf of Standards Organisations of Nigeria, to address the challenges of the incessant influx of substandard and unsafe products into the country. They also issue test reports, Product and SONCAP certificates from accredited laboratories.

There are four (4) Independent Accredited Firms (IAFs) managing the SONCAP offshore process. The names of the IAFs are listed below:

1. COTECNA Inspection Limited (COTECNA)
2. Bureau Veritas (BV)
3. China Standard Inspection Company (CSIC)
4. China Hansom Inspection & Certification Co., Ltd (CHICC).

The Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonised System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers to classify traded products.

The Harmonized System is used by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria as a mechanism for the identification, modification, and implementation of regulatory control over all products. The Nigeria Customs Service also uses it to implement duties and taxes on products, and for gathering statistics.

The SONCAP Certificate (SC) is used to process the PAAR for the clearance of goods from any Nigerian port. The SC is issued to an importer, whose details are stated on the SONCAP certificate.

The product certificate (PC) is the first certificate issued during the SONCAP certification process, which represents the conformities of products to quality requirements. It is used in the opening of the CBN Form M, or other CBN documents for processing importation, to enable importation into Nigeria. The PC is issued to the exporter, as only his details are stated on the certificate.

Under the SONCAP regime, imports are required to undergo verification and testing at the country of supply (Exporting country) of any of the approved Independent Accredited Firms (IAFs), and a SONCAP Certificate (SC) is issued to demonstrate that the products have met the applicable standards and regulations, or a Non-Conformity Report (NCR) is issued where the goods do not comply.

The conformity assessment elements undertaken in SONCAP include, but are not limited, to physical inspection prior to shipment, sampling, testing, and analysis in accredited laboratories, audit of production processes and systems, and documentary check of conformity with regulations and overall assessment of conformity to standards.

Under this program, importers of regulated products must obtain two certificates to process the importation and clearance of the goods.

• Product Certificate (PC), either unregistered, registered, or licensed
• SONCAP Certificate (SC)

The Product Certificate and the SONCAP Certificate are mandatory for the processing of Form M and Nigerian Customs’ clearance of SON-regulated goods respectively under the import requirements of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The SONCAP scheme is designed to protect Nigerian consumers from unsafe and substandard imported finished products, to ensure that imported products meet the specifications of acceptable standards while ensuring easier monitoring by responsible agencies.

Any regulated products that find their way to Nigeria without the SONCAP certificate are in violation of extant regulations and shall be subject to detention, testing, and possible destruction at the expense of the importer.

The SONCAP is an offshore and pre-shipment certification scheme to monitor, check and control the importation of regulated products into Nigeria. It comprises a set of conformity assessments and verification procedures applicable to all SON-regulated products imported into Nigeria.

The Federal Government of Nigeria introduced the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) to address the number of unsafe products entering the country and to eliminate their subsequent risks to public health and safety.

The scheme employs four mandatory processes of verification of product quality to meet specification standards such as NIS, International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), and International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) among others.

The processes are:

• Product Certificate 1 (otherwise known as PC1 or Unregistered)
• Product Certificate 2 (otherwise known as PC2 or Registered Status)
• Product Certificate 3 (otherwise known as PC3 or Licensed Status)
• SONCAP Certificate (also known as SC)

These documents are mandatory for the importation and Customs clearance of SONCAP-regulated goods, as stipulated in the revised Import Guidelines, under the import requirement of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

One (1) year.

The country of destination of the products and the country / customer specification or requirement is also stated on the certificate

It is a certification for products for export based on the destination country or customer requirements

Contact the nearest SON State Office to be guided.

MANCAP fast track is not a certification but verification exercise to ascertain production and quality assurance capability of companies/factories after which MANCAP logo with number is issued for 6months period. This is to facilitate trade and encourage MSMEs.

It is expected that MANCAP certification would be completed within the 6months period.

Yes.

MANCAP certified products can be export to any West African country.

SON State Office covering the area/state will be conducting inspection of your factory on quarterly basis

Recertification / Revalidation of the certificate and a new one is issued.

Three (3) years

The certification fees and inspection charges are as published and can be obtained at SON State Offices nationwide.

It takes 60days from the receipt of MANCAP applications at the MANCAP Division office if all the requirements are met

The MANCAP certificate and logo is issued at the end of the certification. The MANCAP logo has unique identification number and can be affixed on each unit of the products or on the label

Minimum of two quarterly inspections are required and the product/products must conform with all the requirements of relevant Nigerian Industrial Standard.

CAC certificate of incorporation, on-the-spot test report (SON laboratory test report or test report form IPAN accredited laboratory is required if on-the-spot test is not comprehensive), copy of payments for the purchase of MANCAP form and MANCAP certification.

Contact nearest SON State Office for enquiry and obtain the application form

MANCAP means Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme. It is a product certification scheme for locally manufactured products in Nigeria conducted by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria as prescribed in the SON Act 14 of 2015.

Click here to read more about SON Laboratories

SON is presently close to all Ports of import.

SON is operating from outside the port following the directive of the Federal Government that all agencies should operate from outside the port, but should be called upon to participate in the clearance of regulated products.

It is the responsibility of consignees or the agent to notify SON of the clearance of SON’s regulated products at all ports of entry, failure to do this will attract stiff penalties.

SON play major roles in the development of SMEs through provision of training, standard specifications and advice of products improvement.

SON also have dedicated officer assigned to help in SMEs development and certification of their process.

SON play major roles in the development of SMEs through provision of training, standard specifications and advice of products improvement.

SON also have dedicated officer assigned to help in SMEs development and certification of their process.

There are still substandard products in the market due to activities of some dishonest individual who smuggled substandard product into the country.

Some importers also deliberately request that foreign manufacturer manufacture products below standard specification for profit purpose.

SON is working to bring the level of substandard products to manageable level.

YES – SON enabling Act empower her to charge for services rendered’

For all comparisons, tests or investigations performed by the Organisation under this Act, ….., a fee sufficient in each case to compensate the Organisation for the entire cost of the service rendered shall be charged according to a scale specified in rules made for that purpose by the Council.

SON is very popular within the country. SON is also actively involved in safe-guarding the life and properties of consumers through various schemes which the importers and manufacturers are familiar with.

For a company to be certified, it must address all the requirements of the standard being certified to.

For QMS, all requirements of ISO 9001:2008 must be addressed, specifically must meet the ISO 9001 Documentation Requirements.

Management Systems Standards are sets of policies, processes, and procedures required for planning and execution (production/development/service) in the core business area of an organization to meet customers’ requirements.

ISO 9001 2015 is an example of a Quality Management System.

Yes, Click here to find out more

SON Product Registration scheme is mandatory for all SON’s regulated products as mandated by SON Act 56 of 1971, 20 of 1984, 18 of 1990 as amended.

This is irrespective of the registration done by NAFDAC.

SON’s Headquarter, Abuja, Lagos and other SON Offices nationwide

MANCAP – Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme – A mandatory programme to which all locally manufactured products in Nigeria must comply with before the product can be allowed to be distributed to the market.

SONCAP – A mandatory off-shore conformity assessment programme to which all regulated importer product must comply with.

A company is eligible for certification if it can demonstrate that it has met all the criteria stated in a specific standard.

This will be verified through inspection or auditing of the process, system and/or person.

ISO means ‘International Organisation for Standardisation’.
The ISO certification is awarded to a process, system, or person has met all the applicable requirement for a specific standard. A typical ISO certification is the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System (QMS).

The ‘NIS’ certification is the award given to locally manufactured product with consistently proving record of meeting standard requirements after passing through rigorous analytical process. The awardees of NIS mark are consistently monitored to ensure that they retain their quality level, otherwise, the award is withdrawn.

Yes. The mandatory ‘MANCAP’ and ‘SONCAP’ schemes ensures that both locally manufactured and imported products comply with the minimum applicable standard.

NIS stands for ‘Nigerian Industrial Standard’. This is the prefix given to all standards elaborated as Nigerian standards.

It is also included before other adapted or adopted national or international standards.

Products certified by SON can be recognized by the certification marks inscribed on them or their packaging.

The two certification marks are for ‘MANCAP’ and ‘NIS’.

SON is a Federal Government agency.

SON stands for ‘Standards Organisation of Nigeria’.

Click here to read more about SON