President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has challenged the organized private sector to always demand for quality products and services from their public sector counterparts as part of deliberate efforts to promote a quality culture among Nigerians.
The President, who was represented by Permanent Secretary, General Services Office in the Office of the SGF, Dr. Maurice Mbaeri, stressed that constant demand for quality products and services by all, would enhance the Nigeria’s ability to trade seamlessly beyond its borders especially with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).
In his keynote address at the opening of a workshop on Sustainable Provision of Metrology Services in Nigeria Wednesday in Lagos, the President said the implementation of an efficient National Quality Infrastructure would significantly increase the country’s non-oil export.
According to him, it would lead to increased foreign exchange earnings, a stronger Naira, improved capacity utilization, job creation and general growth of the economy and improved welfare of the citizens.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Chairman, NQC, Osita Aboloma expressed the Council’s commitment to a more efficient National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) that accommodates both the public and private sectors and supports increased competitiveness of personnel, produce, products and services.
Aboloma stated that the NQC mandate of effective implementation of the NNQP would positively impact the National Quality Infrastructure, especially in relation to increased non-oil exports and mitigation of Nigeria’s export rejects, both of which according to him, have potentials to promote self-sufficiency and improved earning capacity from seamless trading with rest of the globe.
Also speaking at the occasion Dr Simeon Umukoro of the UK Department for Business and Trade at the FCDO reiterated the UK’s unwavering support for Nigeria’s economic diversification and trade enhancement efforts in line with the signed UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership MoU being demonstrated through the Standards Partnership Program already at Phase II.