Nigeria recorded a major milestone on Monday as the Nigerian National Accreditation System (NINAS) secured full international recognition, allowing certificates issued by Nigerian-accredited laboratories and certification bodies to be accepted in more than 140 countries. The development is expected to drastically reduce export rejection, improve competitiveness, and save the country millions of dollars in foreign exchange previously lost to repeated foreign testing and compliance delays.
With this new status, certificates issued by NINAS-accredited laboratories, inspection bodies, and certification bodies will now carry globally trusted marks from the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, the International Accreditation Forum, and the African Accreditation Cooperation under the Mutual Recognition Arrangement. This positions Nigeria among the world’s recognised quality assurance systems.
Only eight accreditation bodies across Africa have reached this level of acceptance, placing Nigeria among the continent’s most advanced quality infrastructure systems. The achievement comes after nearly 15 years of reforms under the National Quality Policy, designed to strengthen the National Quality Infrastructure and help exporters, manufacturers, and MSMEs meet global standards.
Speaking at the launch event in Abuja, Director-General of NINAS, Celestine Okanya, described the international recognition as a direct response to one of Nigeria’s biggest export challenges—widespread rejection of goods, especially food products, in Europe, America, and Asia due to non-recognition of local test results.
He said exporters who make use of NINAS-accredited conformity assessment bodies can now technically achieve “zero rejection” of their goods because foreign authorities will no longer insist on retesting or impose extra compliance charges before products enter their markets.
“With NINAS now internationally recognised, exporters who use accredited laboratories and certification bodies can technically achieve zero rejection, as foreign authorities will accept their certificates without retesting or additional charges,” Okanya said. He explained that any manufacturer using NINAS-accredited labs will receive certificates accepted in more than 140 countries, removing major barriers that have blocked Nigerian products from entering Europe, America, and Asia.
Okanya added that the new status also positions Nigerian exporters for smoother customs clearance under AfCFTA, as accredited certificates reduce technical barriers to the movement of goods across African borders.
The United Kingdom, a major supporter of Nigeria’s quality reform efforts, welcomed the development. The UK’s Director for Trade Policy and Market Access (Africa Region), Hannah Barbosa, described the achievement as a signal to the world that Nigeria is ready to compete in global markets. She said the recognition would reduce technical trade barriers, build investor confidence, and unlock new opportunities for Nigerian businesses.
“This is more than a celebration. It is a bold statement of intent. With NINAS’ recognition, conformity assessment bodies in Nigeria can now issue certificates accepted globally,” Barbosa said.
She highlighted various UK-funded programmes, such as the Standards Partnership Programme, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme Roadshow, and the SheTrades Inward Mission, which supported Nigerian firms in upgrading their processes and meeting international benchmarks.
Also speaking, the UK Country Director for Nigeria, Mark Smithson, noted that total UK imports from Nigeria currently stand at £2.3bn, driven mainly by commodities. He said the new accreditation status means Nigerian products will pass more easily through UK customs without the delays and duplication often caused by questionable test documentation.
“Exporters should expect quicker processing, fewer rejections, and more consistent outcomes. This is not just qualitative progress, it is quantitative growth,” Smithson said.
The global acceptance of NINAS is expected to transform Nigeria’s export landscape, giving businesses—from large manufacturers to small-scale food processors—better access to international markets. It will also strengthen confidence in Nigerian-made products and reduce financial losses caused by retesting, storage charges, and shipment delays.
Industry players say the breakthrough marks a new chapter in Nigeria’s drive to deepen non-oil exports, enhance product quality, and strengthen the country’s presence in global supply chains.
