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SONCAP
SONCAP stands for the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)
Conformity AssessmentProgramme.In line with the statutory function
of the SON as entrenched in the Act No 56 of 1971 andsubsequent
amendments, the SONCAP programme was introduced in 2005 by the
FederalGovernment of Nigeria to address the challenges of the
incessant influx of substandard andunsafe products into the
country. Three Programme Management Companies (PMC); SwedeControl
Intertek Limited, SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance and TUV
Rheinland Groupwere appointed to administer SONCAP globally on
behalf of SON. The programme is a set of conformity assessment and
verification procedures applicable to allproducts imported into
Nigeria except those under the purview of the exemption list
(include linkto exemption list). The compliance of such products is
with the applicable Nigeria IndustrialStandards (NIS)
specifications and/or other approved International Standards prior
to shipment.The scheme is ratified by the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) and its dictates forms the basisfor ensuring that all goods
imported into Nigeria conform to NIS or equivalent
acceptableinternational standards. The scheme was designed to
ensure that imported products meet the specifications ofacceptable
standards for the protection of Nigerian consumers from unsafe and
substandardfinished products. Under the SONCAP scheme, conformity
to approved standards is a mandatory requirement forimported
products. Therefore the SONCAP certificate is mandatory for Customs
clearance of
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SONCAP
goods under the import requirements of the Federal Government of
Nigeria. {faq inline} General Description SONCAP is a pre-shipment
verification of conformity to Standards process used to verify that
products to be imported into Nigeria are in conformity with the
applicable NIS or approved equivalents, and technical regulations
before shipment. Under the SONCAP regime, imports are required to
undergo verification and testing at country of supply (Exporting)
and a SONCAP Certificate (SC) issued demonstrating that the
products meet the applicable standards and regulations or a
Non-Conformity Report (NCR) where the goods do not comply. The
conformity assessment elements undertaken in SONCAP include but not
limited to physical inspection prior to shipment, sampling, testing
and analysis in accredited laboratories, audit of product processes
and systems, and documentary check of conformity with regulations
and overall assessment of conformity to standards. SONCAP
Objectives The objectives of the programme include but are not
limited to the following:
Ensure that regulated products comply with the NIS or
approvedstandards prior to export to Nigeria Provide a level
playing field in terms of quality for both regulated and locally
manufactured products in order to prevent unfair competition
Prevent the dumping of substandard goods into the Nigeria market
and as a result preventing economic loss to the importer and the
nation at large Impede loss of lives and property including foreign
exchange bearing in mind that the exporting country/Exporter have
been paid for the goods shipped into Nigeria Forestall any adverse
reaction (such as environmental pollution occasioned by destruction
of substandard products) by regulatory Agencies on arrival of such
goods in Nigeria Facilitate trade through fast track clearance of
goods at the ports Encourage genuine investors and investments in
Nigeria Promote made in Nigeria products Conserve foreign exchange
Essential Features of the new SONCAP Regime There are three
essential features to the SONCAP regime:
Scope of Goods or Products subject to SONCAP
The current regulated (provide link to regulated list) includes
all imported goods to be regulated by SONCAP except the
following:
- Food products - Drugs (Medicines) - Medicals other than
equipment and machines - Chemicals used as raw material by bonafide
manufacturers - Military wares & equipment
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SONCAP
- Goods classified as contraband by the Federal Government of
Nigeria - Used products other than automobiles
Bonafide manufacturers who intend to import machinery or related
spare parts for their manufacturing are advised to apply to the SON
for SONCAP import permit to enable them import (link to import
permit ).
The Federal Government through an Inter-ministerial Technical
Committee on Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) which
is domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may from time to
time add or delete product(s) for regulation under the scheme.
Appropriate notification will always be provided by the CISS
through the CBN and an adequate period will be allowed between the
date of publicizing the measure and its implementation to enable
full compliance. Routes for Determining Conformity of Product(s)
Each shipment of good(s) or product(s) subject to SONCAP arriving
any Nigerian Port must be accompanied by a SONCAP Certificate (SC).
The methods employed for achieving these requirements vary
according to the nature of product, the risk profile of the
manufacturer and the level of conformity met by existing
certifications.
The SON has defined three routes that maybe applied as
appropriate conformity assessment procedures for product(s) subject
to SONCAP, according to type, risk and effect on the health and
safety, and environmental protection. The routes are:
Route A: For unregistered/Unlicensed products (Conformity
Verification)
Each shipment to be imported requires inspection, consignment
testing to applicable standards, witnessing of stuffing of Full
Container Load (FCL) and affixing of seals to FCL upon the
conformity to the requirements, the product is issued with a SC,
which is valid only for that particular consignment. The steps
shall be as follows:-
Step 1: Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status)Product
Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status), valid for six months to be
issued by IAF upon satisfactory completion of:-- Inspection-
Product Sampling: Samples submitted for testing shall be (i) drawn
by the IAF, or (ii) drawn under IAF supervision at the
manufacturers premises.
Step 2: Test ReportTest Report to be issued by:- Approved ISO
17025 laboratories - Manufacturer for testing witnessed by IAF
Step 3: Certificate of Conformity (CoC)Certificate of Conformity
to be issued by IAF upon:-
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SONCAP
- Receipt of satisfactory Test Report as per step 2-
Satisfactory goods verification, witnessing of stuffing of Full
Container Loads (FCL) and affixing of seals to FCL based on a risk
assessment.- Receipt of satisfactory final documents
In the event of non-compliance with the testing and/or
inspection requirements, the IAF shall issue a Non Conformity
Report.
Route B: For Registered Products (Registration and Conformity
Inspection)
Registration of products is done following type testing and
assessment of the manufacturers quality system in place in order to
determine that the product(s) under consideration is in conformity
with the applicable standards and that the manufacturer has the
necessary systems in place to produce consistently over a time the
same quality product. The steps shall be as follows:-
Step 1: Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status)
Product Certificate (PC), valid for one year, to be issued by
IAF upon satisfactory completion of audit of manufacturers
factory.Manufacturer/Exporter under route A could be elevated to
Route B based on good compliance history (minimum of four fully
compliant transactions)
Step 2: Test Report
Test Report, issued by approved laboratory or manufacturer, to
be received by IAF for every shipment but in at least 40% of
shipments per quarter the IAF to have either taken the sample for
submission to the approved laboratory or to have witnessed the
sampling and testing at the manufacturers premises
Step 3: Certificate of Conformity (CoC)Certificate of Conformity
to be issued by IAF upon:-- Receipt of satisfactory Test Report as
per step 2- Satisfactory goods verification, witnessing of stuffing
of Full Container Loads (FCL) and affixing of seals to FCL (where
feasible at least 40% of shipments per quarter)- Receipt of
satisfactory final documents
In the event of non-compliance with the testing and/or
inspection requirements, the IAF shall issue a Non Conformity
Report.
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SONCAP
Route C: For Licensed products (Product Certification
Systems)Licensing of products is based on detailed evaluation of
the product, including testing and factory audit and regular
surveillances. If in conformity with the relevant NIS or approved
equivalents, the product will be granted license. However, at least
twice a year pre-shipment verification ie documentary review,
process evaluation, inspection of facility, inspection of
consignment to be shipped, verification of testing, witnessing of
FCL stuffing and sealing of shipments will be conducted to ensure
that conformity is maintained. Licensing is only granted to the
manufacturer of a product and the process is not available for
exporter and/or supplier. The steps shall be as follows:-
Step 1: Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status)Product
Certificate (PC), valid for one year, to be issued by IAF upon
satisfactory completion of audit of manufacturers
factory.Manufacturer under route B could be elevated to Route C
based on good compliance history (minimum of four fully compliant
transactions and two factory verifications)Step 2: Test ReportType
Test Report, issued by the manufacturer or approved laboratory, to
be received by IAF for every product within the scope of the
licensed product certificate.
Step 3: Certificate of Conformity (CoC)Certificate of Conformity
to be issued by IAF upon:-- Receipt of satisfactory Test Report as
per step 2- Satisfactory goods verification, witnessing of stuffing
of Full Container Loads (FCL) and affixing of seals to FCL (where
feasible at least one shipment every six months).- Receipt of
satisfactory final documents
In the event of non-compliance with the testing and/or
inspection requirements, the IAF shall issue a Non Conformity
Report. SONCAP Services The SONCAP Scheme is operated on the behalf
of SON by four International Accreditation Firms (IAFs) (link to
IAF websites ).
China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIC) www.ccic.com
Cotecna Inspection Limited SA www.cotecna.com
Socit Generale de Surveillance (SGS) SA
-http://www.sgs.com/en/Public-Sector/Product-Conformity-Assessment-PCA/Nigeria-SGS-Mandate.aspx
Intertek www.exports2nigeria.com
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SONCAP
No territory or region or area has been assigned to any of the
IAFs. The IAFs are free to operate in every area of their
competence and at any location in the world. Scope In order to
encourage quality and competition that will enable exporters,
importers and the consumers at large have free access to desired
quality/professional services as well as enable the operating
parties aspire to achieve the common objectives of SONCAP, the IAFs
are free to operate in every area of their competence and at any
location in the world. SONCAP Compliance Procedures The scheme
entails two mandatory processes of verification of product quality
to meet specified standards such as NIS, International Organisation
for Standardisation (ISO), and International Electrotechnical
Committee (IEC) and approved standards of other Nations among
others. The processes are:
Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) or Product
Certificate 2 (Registered Status) or Product Certificate 3
(Licensed Status) Certificate of Conformity (CoC) SONCAP
Certification (SC)
These documents are mandatory for importation and Customs
clearance of SONCAP regulated goods under the import requirements
of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status), Product Certificate
2 (Registered Status) or Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status)
issued under Routes A, B and C respectively are required for the
opening of Form M. The Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status)
is valid for one shipment only whereas the Product Certificate 2
(Registered Status) or Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status) are
valid for a period of one year.
The SONCAP Certificate (SC) is a mandatory Customs clearance
document in Nigeria. It is issued by Standards Organisation of
Nigeria (SON) on receipt of Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from
the IAFs. The Certificate is applicable to SONCAP regulated
products.
The SONCAP compliance procedures are designed to provide
flexibility in the testing of regulated products by exporters. Any
exporter is at liberty to select any of the IAFs laboratories or
approved Accreditation Agents laboratories which will be used for
testing the samples, as provided for above. SONCAP Administrative
Fees The administrative fees for issuance of both the product and
SONCAP certificates are as follows:
i) Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) = $300 ii)
Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) = $300 iii) Product
Certificate 3 (Licensed Status) : $1,300
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a. Additional models to be included in the same certificate and
covered in the same test report are charged at an additional $5 per
month per model which translates to $60 per annum.b. The cost of
new products is $300.
iii) Certificate of Conformity =$300a. Certificate amendment fee
= $100
iv) Non Conformity Report = $350 Testing The testing of
product(s) is/are carried out as provided for in the Accreditation
agreement with emphasis on quality, performance and safety.
Testing is governed by the provisions of ISO 17025 in terms of
organization of the testing laboratory, technical staff
qualifications, training/experience, testing and measuring
equipment, calibration, test methods and procedures, records and
test reports. Accreditation Firms Offices ( link to IAF offices
)SONCAP Import PermitThe SON shall issue SONCAP import permit to
exempt certain categories of imports of regulated products from
certification. This shall be done after examination of the import
documents by the SONCAP unit and approved by the Director General
of SON. Imports covered by permits will be subjected to conformity
assessment in Nigeria. {/faq}
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