SON Warns Nigerians On Use Of Non Energy-friendly Appliances, Equipment

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged Nigerians to discourage the use of non energy-friendly equipment, noting that, the move would help reduce the cost consumers incur in powering their appliances in the country.

The director general, SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, at the commissioning and launch of the AC Bioclimatic Testing Chamber, co-funded by the European Union (EU) and GIZ in Lagos, said the facility is coming at a time when the country is struggling with energy shortages, adding that, SON is willing to support any initiative aimed at ensuring Nigeria promotes the use of sustainable energy efficiency systems.

The director general who was represented by the director, Product Certification, SON, Mr. Tersoo Orngudwem, said: “This is why we are partnering the Nigeria Energy Support Programme (NESP) to ensure that this comes to reality. We are using this opportunity to encourage Nigerians to use only energy-friendly devices in their houses.”

He added: “the director general, SON, in a short while, will be making an announcement on importation of non- energy friendly equipment in our environment.

“We will give a timeframe for phasing out of non energy-friendly equipment. There are market forces and trends determined by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 

We cannot just change a policy overnight. We will give a timeframe for phasing out of the equipment and it would be publicly announced so that the importers, manufacturers and consumers we know when they will start having the right thing in the market.”

The DG said, the launch represents a significant leap in the field of testing, particularly in the areas of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) specifically for the testing of Air Conditioning systems. 

“It suffices for the determination and verification of compliances of Air Conditioners to the Minimum Energy Performance Standards & Labels (MEPS &L). I am particularly excited that this specialized testing facility designed for evaluating the performance, energy efficiency, and durability of air conditioning units, will provide a more concerted conformity assessment solution in this sector in Nigeria and across West Africa,” he said.

According to him, global energy challenges and the attendant environmental implications are no longer news, but stated the need to find sustainable solutions is of paramount importance.

The permanent secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, represented by the director, Renewable and Rural Power Access Department, Abubakar Ali-Dapshima, said the equipment commissioned is a game changer in the energy efficiency industry and remains one of the very important equipment for SON to test air conditioners in the country for maximum performance.

“If the project is fully implemented, I am assuring you that the equivalent of achievement in the power sector is eliminating the small and medium power plants by almost 200. This tells you how we are going to get efficient power supply which would be released into the system,” he said.

The Energy Programme manager at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Godfrey Ogbemudia, said the EU is working to ensure that standards are put in place to ensure that Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for substandard equipment, but ensuring that any equipment entering into the country meets the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS). 

On his part, the Consulate General, Federal Republic of Germany, Lagos, Jochen Schindelarz, commended Nigerian Energy Support Programme, as well as its commissioning partners, the European Union and the 

German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, for their unwavering support to the Nigerian Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency sector.

The head of Programmes, NESP, Duke Benjamin, reiterated NESP’s commitment towards continuing its support to SON, saying, the facility will provide SON staff with capacity building support to conduct regular market surveillance to ensure compliance of manufacturers and importers of RE/EE products to quality and efficiency specifications.