Nigerian Export Certificates Now Recognised in 140 Countries After NINAS Approval
- NINAS has received international accreditation, allowing Nigerian export test results and certificates to be recognised in more than 140 countries
- The development is expected to save Nigeria millions in foreign exchange by eliminating the need for exporters to conduct retesting abroad
- Officials say the recognition will reduce export rejections and support MSMEs in their efforts to access global markets
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, tech and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The Nigeria National Accreditation System (NINAS) has received international recognition, which will enable Nigerian export test results and quality certificates to be accepted in more than 140 countries, according to officials.
This development will help Nigeria save millions of dollars in foreign exchange by ending the expensive practice of exporters sending samples to Europe for conformity assessments, The Sun reported.
Source: Getty Images
For years, Nigerian exporters, especially those in the food and manufacturing sectors, sent product samples to Europe for conformity assessments, a process that drained scarce foreign exchange and slowed the export cycle.
According to the National Quality Council (NQC), the approval followed the NINAS’s successful admission into key international frameworks, including the African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement, the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
With the newly secured status, officials stated that certificates issued by Nigerian laboratories, inspection bodies and certification bodies accredited by NINAS will now be recognised across over 140 countries.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Quality Council, Osita Aboloma, said the recognition marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s economy and aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to expand non-oil exports.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Aboloma noted that exporters previously spent large sums seeking duplicate assessments in Norway, the Netherlands and other countries.
He explained that the reform is part of the Nigerian National Quality Policy, which aims to establish a globally competitive quality infrastructure covering standardisation, metrology, accreditation and market surveillance. He added that the biggest beneficiaries will be micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that face strict technical requirements in international markets.
Speaking on the implications, NINAS Director-General, Celestine Okanya, said Nigeria has now joined a small group of African countries with internationally recognised accreditation systems. He stated that the move will sharply reduce export rejections linked to the testing of products in non-accredited laboratories.
Although he noted that some rejections may still occur, he stressed that compliance with accredited testing and certification will significantly limit such cases.
Source: Getty Images
In her remarks, the UK’s Director of Trade Policy and Market Access for Africa, Hannah Barbosa, described the development as a “game changer”, noting that it will reduce technical trade barriers and strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria.
“International recognition of NINAS under AFRAC, ILAC and IAF frameworks will reduce technical barriers to trade, enhance investor confidence and unlock opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” she said.
Nigeria’s non-oil exports exceed $1.7bn
Legit.ng reported that non-oil exports in the first quarter of 2025 reached $1.791 billion, according to data from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)
This represented a 24.7% growth compared to the $1.436 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
A year-on-year analysis shows that the volume of non-oil exports grew from 1.937 million metric tonnes (MT) in Q1 2024 to 2.416 million metric tonnes in Q1 2025.
Source: Legit.ng
