AfCFTA: SON Pushes Compliance With Tyre Standards To Boost Trade Competitiveness

Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is pushing for stricter compliance with tyre quality standards to strengthen the country’s position in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and improve road safety.

At a stakeholders’ forum on tyre safety awareness in Abuja, SON director-general Ifeanyi Okeke, represented by North Central director Marlele Waziri, said substandard tyres pose a serious risk to both lives and Nigeria’s ability to compete in the regional market.

“With AfCFTA, we are moving toward a single African market where quality will determine competitiveness,” Okeke said. “If Nigeria continues to circulate substandard tyres while other countries enforce high standards, we will not only compromise road safety but also weaken our position in cross-border trade.”

He said more than 50 African nations have ratified the AfCFTA agreement, making it essential for Nigerian businesses to adopt global best practices or risk being edged out of the market.

“This is not just about preventing road crashes—it’s about economic survival,” he said. “Countries enforcing strict tyre quality standards will dominate the market. If we fail to comply, Nigerian products will be sidelined in AfCFTA trade, leaving local businesses struggling to compete.”

Okeke warned that Nigeria could face an influx of substandard tyres from other African nations, displacing locally made products. He said SON is intensifying efforts to educate businesses and consumers about the importance of quality standards to protect the domestic market.

He said the forum aimed to sensitise tyre retailers on selling only products that meet national and international standards. He also noted the involvement of road safety agencies and law enforcement in ensuring compliance.

Okeke stressed the need for national standards that align with global best practices, citing a recent African Union meeting where 44 countries agreed on the importance of uniform regulations.

As part of its regulatory role, SON is monitoring the tyre market to enforce compliance, he said. He said the agency will set up a committee with tyre dealers to facilitate ongoing training and regular engagements to uphold industry standards.

According to him, SON introduced the “Arrive Alive” campaign to promote the use of certified tyres and improve road safety.

He urged retailers and importers to sell only tyres that met international standards, stressing that compliance is essential for Nigeria’s global competitiveness.

SON’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) coordinator Gamagira Mohammed, said enforcement will follow the current awareness campaign.

“This is not just a talk shop,” Mohammed said. “SON is serious about ensuring compliance, and after this phase of awareness, we will begin enforcement actions against businesses that continue to sell substandard tyres.”

He said SON is strengthening its collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies to prevent the importation of substandard tyres. “Prevention is better than enforcement,” he said.

Chairman of the Abuja Automobile Tyre Dealers Association, Samuel Nwangwu, said traders welcomed SON’s initiative but called for tighter border controls to stop substandard products from entering the country.

“We appreciate SON’s proactive approach,” Nwangwu said. “As traders, we want to sell quality products, but we also need an enabling environment where the influx of substandard tyres is controlled at the ports and borders. If these products don’t enter the market, we won’t have a situation where unsuspecting Nigerians are buying dangerous tyres.”

Representative of the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kunle Oguntoyinbo,attributed many road fatalities in Nigeria to faulty tyres, emphasising their role in accidents.

“Tyre bursts are a leading cause of crashes in Nigeria—most of which could have been avoided with high-quality tyres. Compliance isn’t optional; it’s essential,” he said.

He cautioned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat and poor storage conditions weakens tyres over time, increasing the risk of sudden failure.