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ARSO Holds 30th General Assembly, As FG Promises To Support Achievement Of Its Mandate

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…ARSO approves 250  newharmonised standards across the continent

 
By Gloria Ikibah 
 
 
The Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure that the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) achieve its mandate.
 
 
The Minister gave the assurance at the opening ceremony of the 30th ARSO General Assembly held in on Wednesday in Abuja, with the theme, “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century – Building a Quality Culture – “One Market, One Standard”. 
 
 
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ambassador Nuhu Abba Rimi, said this year’s theme articulates the essential role of standardisation in promoting sustainable development, innovation, export-oriented manufacturing and production.
 
 
She stated that the goal of the Ministry therefore is to reposition and revitalize the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth by exploring innovative strategies to bolster our nation’s economic sustainability as outlined in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigerians.  
 
 
She said: “To realize this vision, we must embrace standardisation as: “Standards set Good International Best Practices in every sector of Life”, which, if strictly adhered to, could promotes productivity, trade and ensures predictability, transparency, openness, and as well as a basis for Technical Regulations”.
 
 
Going back memory lane, Dr. Uzoka-Anite asserted that Nigeria takes pride among African nations for its role in the foundation of ARSO in 1976; most especially the strategic role played by late Dr. Adedeji Adebayo, who (while serving as the Secretary General of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) between 1976–1977), championed the process of the establishment of ARSO.
 
 
“Similarly, we will not forget in a hurry the excellent role the Nigerian ex-President, His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo played in 1977 as one of the nine Heads of States that signed and endorsed the instruments of the ARSO membership for their respective governments. 
 
 
“Furthermore, the theme draws my attention (I believe yours too) to the 21st Century symbiotic relationship between education, sustainable development, industrialisation and trade; with standardisation being a strategic pillar for us as a government, stakeholders and as well as the standardization community in general.
 
 
“Candidly speaking, this points out the need to equip the African youth with relevant skills and SMEs with innovative tendencies needed for the 21st Africa’s Industrial Development and Integration Agenda as provided under the AfCFTA so as to create awareness on the role of standardization in sustainable development to catch up with the rest of the world”, she stated. 
 
 
According to her, standards shape our everyday lives, drives economic efficiency, facilitates trade and is the fulcrum for tackling the challenges of moving towards a more sustainable and resilient model of development. 
 
 
He therefore called for collaborative efforts among African nations and ARSO member states to re-lubricate the implementation of the AfCFTA; even as he stated that only 35 of the 43 African nations ratified the agreement.
 
 
“There are many areas of policy-making decisions guided by standards of different kinds in areas such as facilitating international trade as well as to help establish trust through guaranteed specifications and quality requirements. 
 
 
“With the world moving towards Artificial Intelligence for faster development, I dare to say that future policy-makers will need a better understanding of standards and standards-related issues through exchange of ideas and knowledge, relevant trainings and robust research findings to support and maintain artificial intelligence.
 
 
“Furthermore, I like to believe that the current standardisation activities – at the national, regional and continental levels – will require robust synergy and collaboration among African nations and ARSO member states to re-lubricate the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, especially with respect to enhancing a Common Regulatory Framework in the Context of TBT annex 6, article 5”.  
 
 
“You may recall that these instruments recommended development and implementation of standards, technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures, accreditation, metrology, capacity building and enforcement activities to boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and commerce across all sectors in the continent.
 
 
“Although, only 35 of the 43 African nations that ratified AfCFTA agreement (piloted in six African nations of Kenya, Rwanda, Cameroon, Ghana, Tanzania, Mauritius, Tunisia, and Egypt) all being ARSO members, they will largely benefit from AfCFTA, strategies of reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers among member nations.
 
 
“It may also interest you to know that AfCFTA could stimulate intra-African trade by up to USD35 billion per year, boost agriculture and industrial exports by up to USD 4 billion (7%) and USD 21 billion (5%) respectively and stimulate a GDP rise from USD 1.7 trillion (2010) to USD 2.6 trillion (2020) thereby pushing up consumer spending from USD 860 billion (2010) to USD 1.4 trillion (2020) and thus potentially lifting millions out of poverty (McKinsey).
 
 
“Furthermore, AfCFTA has been structured to boost intra-African trade which over the years has suffered three major categories of obstacles; namely weak productive capacities and limited economic diversification, tariff-related trade costs, and high non-tariff-related trade costs that hamper the competitiveness of firms and economies in Africa”, the minister noted.
 
 
In his remarks the director General of the standards organisation of Nigeria, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, said the theme is not only apt and significant but will further cement the hope of a standardized single market.
 
 
According to the director General the ARSO 30th General Assembly is an avenue to foster collaborations and further boost the already established relationship between the delegations of the African Countries and the International Community who are decision-makers of the ARSO activities within the ccontinent and beyond.
 
 
He said : “In February 2023, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government at the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union underscored the urgency of accelerating progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4), which emphasizes quality education. This year 2024 has been declared the “Year of Education” by the African Union, calling upon all governments to re-double their efforts to ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.
 
 
“In alignment with this vision, the current Nigerian administration, under the banner of “Renewed Hope”, has laid out a comprehensive educational roadmap aimed at transforming our educational sector. This roadmap focuses on increasing access to quality education, improving infrastructure and investing in the givers of education – the teachers.
 
 
“The government’s commitment to educational reform reflects our understanding that education is the foundation of national development. At the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, we are committed to integrating this roadmap with our collective goal of fostering a quality culture and transfer of knowledge through standardization – a significant progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals that will ultimately capture “no-African-child-is-left-behind effort.
 
 
“Dear colleagues, as we delve into our theme for the year 2024, we are reminded of the essential role that standardization plays along the way. The challenges we face are enormous, sometimes complex: understanding the various theories of climate change and addressing them, harnessing the 4th Industrial Revolution, uplifting the young people, controlling burgeoning population, amongst other.These challenges demand that we equip our youth with cognitive skills and knowledge necessary to navigate and succeed in an increasingly complex global landscape”.
 
 
Dr. Okeke charged all ARSO member states to work collaboratively to address the educational deficits that hinder our progress, especially with millions out-of-school children and a huge learning poverty rate.
 
 
“Standardization, as we all may agree, is not merely about setting guidelines, it is about fostering a quality culture that permeates every aspect of our lives. It ensures that our products and services meet international benchmarks, enhance competitiveness and facilitate trade. It is about creating a unified market where quality is the norm, not the exception. This vision of “One Market, One Standard” is integral to achieving the aspirations of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
 
 
“As we deliberate for the next couple of days, let us seize this unique opportunity to re-commit ourselves to the Continental Strategy for Education in Africa (CESA) 2016 – 2025”, he added. 
 
ARSO Secretary General, Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, disclosed that 250 new harmonised standards has been approved, bringing the total to over 2000.
 
 
He however expressed concerns about the implementation of these standards across the continent.
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UNN Dismisses Report Of Mass Abduction Of Students

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The management of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has dismissed a social media report alleging an impending terrorist attack and mass abduction of students on its Nsukka campus, describing the claim as false and unverified.

The university said there is no credible security intelligence or verified threat supporting the online post currently circulating among students and members of the public.

In a statement issued by the acting public relations officer of the institution, Inya Agha Egwu, the management said the report is unsubstantiated and should be disregarded.

Egwu, however, said the university has taken precautionary measures to further strengthen security across the campus in line with its commitment to the safety of students, staff, and visitors.

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According to him, the measures include the deployment of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army to key entry points, working alongside the university’s internal security unit.

He added that some access gates to the Nsukka campus would be temporarily closed to improve monitoring and control of movement in and out of the institution.

The statement also announced the suspension of motorcycle operations within the campus, adding that only authorised security personnel would be allowed to use motorcycles inside the university premises.

Staff who commute using motorcycles were advised to park them at designated areas outside the campus before proceeding to their workplaces.

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Egwu urged members of the university community to remain calm and continue their normal academic and administrative activities without fear.

He also warned against the spread of unverified information, noting that such reports could create unnecessary panic and disrupt the peace of the institution.

“Members of the University community are urged not to spread unverified information capable of creating unnecessary anxiety,” he said.

The university further encouraged students and staff to report any suspicious activity to security authorities, stressing that security remains a collective responsibility.

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Sowore Faults MTN CEO’s Claim On Unlimited Data, Threatens Nationwide Protest

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Activist and African Action Congress (AAC) 2027 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has challenged claims by the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, that unlimited mobile data plans are virtually non-existent globally unless subscribers pay extremely high fees.

Sowore, in a post on his X handle on Sunday, described the MTN boss’s assertion as false, insisting that millions of consumers across the world have access to unlimited or effectively unlimited mobile and broadband data plans at prices he said are more affordable relative to local incomes than what Nigerians currently pay.

The activist’s reaction came after Toriola made the remarks during a press conference titled: “Data on Trial” held in Lagos where the MTN chief argued that unlimited data plans are not sustainable on mobile networks without compromising service quality.

“The issue of unlimited data on mobile network, it does not exist anywhere in the world, except you are paying $400 a month or whatever. There are high bundles and fair usage policies,” Toriola said.

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He added that network capacity constraints make unrestricted data offerings impractical at low prices.

“On mobile networks, it does not really exist. There is a limit, because you can never build enough capacity for everyone to be on an unlimited bundle and you think you will provide quality service that will be decent,” he said.

Responding, Sowore dismissed the claim, insisting it does not reflect global market realities.

“Liars,” Sowore wrote.

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He argued that many countries still provide consumers with unlimited or near-unlimited data plans at relatively affordable rates compared to income levels.

“Millions of consumers around the world enjoy truly unlimited or effectively unlimited broadband and mobile data plans at prices that are often cheaper, relative to income, than what Nigerians pay for far less service,” he said.

Sowore also criticised the quality and cost of telecommunications services in Nigeria, calling for improved consumer outcomes.

“Nigerians deserve affordable, reliable, and genuinely consumer-friendly telecommunications services, not endless tariff hikes, poor network quality, and excuses,” he wrote.

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He further escalated his position, hinting at possible mass action against the telecom operator.

“The time to #OCCUPYMTN nationwide is fast approaching!” he added.

The exchange comes amid renewed public debate over telecommunications pricing in Nigeria following tariff adjustments approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Earlier in 2025, the regulator approved increases of up to 50 per cent in voice, SMS, and data tariffs, citing inflationary pressures, naira depreciation, and the need to sustain investment in the sector.

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MTN Nigeria has defended the adjustments, maintaining that Nigeria remains among the cheapest markets globally for mobile data services despite the increases.

However, critics, including Sowore, argue that consumers in several countries continue to enjoy better service quality and more affordable unlimited data offerings, intensifying the debate across social media platforms.

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Only authorised agencies can enforce laws, Ramaphosa condemns Xenophobia

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated his government’s commitment to lawful migration management, stressing that violence, intimidation, xenophobia and the spread of misinformation have no place in the country.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, Ramaphosa outlined actions and behaviours that he said are unacceptable, including unauthorised individuals demanding documentation or proof of nationality, blocking access to public services, and acts of violence against foreign nationals.

The President also condemned racism, sexism, xenophobia, Afrophobia and other forms of intolerance, as well as the spread of misinformation, incitement and fake news on social media.

According to Ramaphosa, employers who exploit undocumented workers are equally engaging in conduct that cannot be accepted.

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“Only authorised law enforcement agencies may act against violations of the law,” the President said, adding that “all people must be treated with dignity and respect,” regardless of their nationality or immigration status.

Ramaphosa also announced the adoption of a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management aimed at strengthening border security, enforcing immigration laws, tackling corruption and closing policy loopholes as part of efforts to address illegal immigration in South Africa.

The President said the plan was approved by Cabinet last week and endorsed by the President’s Coordinating Council, which comprises premiers, local government representatives and traditional leaders.

“As government our objective is clear. We want a South Africa where every person who enters the country does so lawfully; a South Africa where immigration laws are respected and enforced; a South Africa where businesses compete fairly; a South Africa where communities feel safe and secure, and a South Africa that remains true to its constitutional values and its commitment to human dignity,” he said.

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According to Ramaphosa, the strategy is built on five pillars: cracking down on violations of immigration and labour laws, preventing illegal entry into the country, rooting out corruption in the immigration system, strengthening immigration laws and policies, and enhancing cooperation with other countries to address migration challenges across the region and continent.

On enforcement, the President said government agencies would intensify efforts to identify and deport undocumented foreign nationals residing illegally in the country.

“The Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies have been and will intensify the process of identifying and deporting undocumented foreign nationals residing illegally in South Africa,” he said.

Highlighting progress already made, Ramaphosa disclosed that “in the past year alone, the BMA managed to intercept and stop over 450,000 people who were attempting to enter South Africa illegally.”

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He also announced plans to establish dedicated immigration courts to accelerate deportation processes involving undocumented migrants.

The President said the second pillar of the strategy focuses on strengthening border management and ensuring authorities know who enters the country, why they are entering and how long they are permitted to stay.

“Secure borders are not a sign of hostility towards other countries. They are a fundamental requirement of a sovereign and well-governed State,” Ramaphosa said.

He added that government would continue investing in modern technology, infrastructure and personnel to secure borders while facilitating legitimate trade, travel and economic activity.

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As part of the measures, the government will begin a phased relocation of refugee reception centres to border posts, starting with the Tshwane centre later this year.

Ramaphosa said the third pillar centres on eliminating corruption and improving the efficiency of the immigration system through technology-driven reforms.

“We are continuing the crackdown on corruption and inefficiencies in the Department of Home Affairs.

“We must recognise that illegal immigration is often enabled by corruption. Officials who sell documents, facilitate unlawful entry or abuse public office for personal gain betray the trust of the South African people. We will pursue these cases relentlessly.”

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According to the President, officials implicated in such offences are already facing disciplinary and criminal action.

“Those responsible are facing dismissal, criminal prosecution and the full consequences of the law,” he said.

Ramaphosa also cited the establishment of an Intelligent Population Register containing biometric data for every person in the country, describing it as a key step towards the introduction of a Digital ID system.

He said efforts to phase out the green ID book would continue, noting that the document remains vulnerable to identity theft and abuse.

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The Department of Home Affairs, he said, would soon announce a deadline after which the green ID book would no longer be recognised.

The President further revealed that the move would help curb abuse of the Traffic Registration Number, which foreign nationals require to register or purchase vehicles.

“The Department of Transport will issue new regulations to align with the identification laws of our country within the next three months,” he said.

Addressing legislative reforms, Ramaphosa acknowledged weaknesses in South Africa’s immigration framework.

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“The laws that regulate immigration in South Africa are fragmented and often contradictory. They allow legal loopholes that are exploited by undocumented migrants. We are addressing these loopholes,” he said.

On regional cooperation, the President stressed the need for African countries to work together to tackle the root causes of migration.

“We need to address the factors that drive migration on our continent and elsewhere,” Ramaphosa said.

He added that South Africa would continue collaborating with neighbouring countries and other African nations to create conditions where migration is driven by choice rather than necessity.

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“As part of this effort, I will be sending envoys to a number of sister African countries to outline the measures that we are announcing this evening,” he said.

Ramaphosa assured citizens that Cabinet would continue monitoring implementation of the migration strategy and regularly review progress on the measures announced.

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