Joshua Jegede, Author at NiNAS

NIGERIAN ELECTRICITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, NEMSA MOVES TO ALIGN HER SERVICES TO INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES THROUGH ACCREDITATION

Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) is established to provide accreditation for Conformity Assessment Bodies as an authoritative body with traceability to the international standards.

The Federal Executive Council, FEC recently approved the Nigeria National Quality Policy. Among other requirements of this policy, Conformity Assessment bodies are required to achieve accreditation in relevant standards related to their services, processes and operations.

Nigerian Electricity Management Services management as part of their commitment to quality services to her customers and electricity consumers, decided to seek accreditation to relevant standards related to the legal mandate.

In other to provide a solid framework for NEMSA and NiNAS relationships towards achieving above goals, both organizations entered into an Memorandum of Understanding, MOU today, March 23, 2021. The MOU is focused on, among other issues, training and Accreditation services.

This MOU is quite remarkable and unique because NiNAS through trainings and services will provide the needed support and facilitate processes that will enhance institutional systems improvement, compliance to international best practices, and global recognition that will ensure the efficient production, delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity power supply and guarantee safety of lives and property in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

The ultimate goal is to accredit NEMSA in four standards namely ISO 17025, ISO 17020, ISO 17024, and ISO 17065. NEMSA is making a history for being the first Agency of the Nigerian Government to submit all her processes to international accreditation, in furtherance of the requirements of the new government policy.

National Quality Infrastructure Graduate Fellowship Program

Nigerian National Accreditation System (NiNAS) commenced it’s National Quality Infrastructure Graduate Fellowship Program (NQI-GF) to reduce the manpower gap in the NQI system. NiNAS recognizes the huge business value qualified young professionals can bring to Nigerian business sector and need to grow future leaders for the QI Systems. Nigeria needs a workforce with new skills to manage innovations and developing technical change and technical support to agencies of standards, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment that is not readily available from the academic institutions.

Speakers were: International Expert on National Quality Policy and Quality Infrastructure – Mr. Mike Peet, the DG of NiNAS – Mr. Celestine Okanya, National Expert on Food Safety Mr. John Tehinse, Ben Hedley – Senior Programme Manager, Commonwealth Standards Network (CSN) and Peter Mason – Chair, OIML CEEMS Advisory Group.

The Fellowship program exposes the participants in the followings areas of Quality Infrastructure:

Introduction to Nigerian Quality Infrastructure
Standards: Standard Development process, Harmonization, Applications of the Standards, Standards and Trade, and many more
Accreditation, Accreditation and accreditation process, Standards and conformity Assessment in relation to accreditation, Interplay between standards, conformity assessment and accreditation. Assessment, Assessor Trainings and Peer Evaluation
Metrology, Calibration, Traceability of Calibration certificates and the value of Metrology in trading of goods and services.
Conformity Assessment, Globalization, Technical knowledge and skills and business system

National Quality Infrastructure Graduate Fellowship Program is designed and developed by Nigeria National Accreditation System and funded by United Kingdom Global Trade Program through the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office and Implemented by British Standards Institute BSI and Nigeria National Accreditation System, NiNAS.

COURTESY VISIT OF DG/CEO OF NiNAS TO FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORP NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS ABUJA ON THURSDAY 11TH MARCH 2021

The purpose of the visit was to deliberate on how FRSC team capacity can be built to implement the ISO 39001. This standard is the road traffic safety management system which is a requirement for management standard to help safety organizations, institutions and agencies to reduce accidents. We believe that this collaboration/partnership will help both organizations in working together to serve Nigeria better.

NINAS HOLDS A TALK WITH UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS

Following the interest shown by the university of Lagos on hosting the National Quality Infrastructure Graduate Fellowship Program in university of Lagos business school , a meeting was held at the central research lab of university of Lagos .

NiNAS was represented by the DG/CEO of NiNAS and Okolo Rosemary with the office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor O.B Familora and the leadership of the university of Lagos of business school, held by Professor Abraham Osinubi, Professor Aclefarokom O.S and Professor Wellington. The meeting is a continuation of the discussion leading to the commencement of National Quality Infrastructure Graduate Fellowship Program at the university of Lagos business school . One of the of the key aims of the meeting is to develop a Memorandum of Understanding amongst the parties. The fellowship program is designed to produce human capital, needed to drive the recently approved National Quality Policy (NQP).

THE VALUE OF THE NATIONAL QUALITY POLICY RECENTLY APPROVED BY FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, FEC.

National Quality Policy is the foundation on which all other provisions, requirements and Institutional structures of our national quality systems are built.

This policy provides relationships and boundaries for standards, metrology, accreditation and Conformity Assessment Services. It is our firm belief that that if Nigeria get these four pillars of Quality Systems to work as defined in the approved policy, our products and services will be more acceptable and attractive to our trading partners.

The successful implementation of this policy will open up Nigeria’s non-oil export trade, create jobs and make our economy more competitive through improved quality products and services. The policy ensures that people and organizations are held responsible for their actions or in actions leading to any form of breach of requirements of the standards.

Thank you Mr. President and Commander in Chief for approving this policy. Many thanks to The Honorable Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, FMITI for his leadership and efforts in getting the policy approved.

My appreciations to all the partners that contributed to this great work namely all the MDAs, Organized Private Sector, World Bank Group, UNIDO, European Union, USAID-CFNA, and many Professional bodies and Institutes.
NiNAS will continue to provide support at the implementation phase as she may be required.

By C. O. Okanya, Director General and Chief Executive Officer, NiNAS.

81965404_10220291241766424_6366410897371430912_n

117340484_10222442688591250_1474162449377322590_o

NiNAS Assessor Training on ISO/IEC 17025:2017

NiNAS held a three-day assessor training on ISO/IEC 17025:2017, on the 25th, 26th and 27th of January, 2021 at NiNAS House, Asokoro, Abuja. The training was well attended by the Members of the Weights and Measures Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The aim of the training was to enlighten participants on the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories in accordance with ISO 17025:2017. Furthermore, the participants were given a detailed insight into understanding the required level of competence, impartiality and consistency in operations of laboratories according to the relevant ISO standard.

NiNAS signs Memorandum of Understanding with Ekap Achi Foundation (EKAP)

This event is very timely and strategic as the Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) has the mandate to support economic growth and competitiveness by collaboration, partnership, facilitation, coordination, and synergy. In line with these objectives, NiNAS is partnering and collaborating with strategic organizations and agencies to ensure Nigeria achieves national, regional, and global competitiveness.

The MOU signing between NiNAS and Ekap Achi Foundation (EKAF) is aimed at supporting and facilitating processes that will enhance compliance to the standards and certification requirements through Accreditation; in this case, farms, farmers, products, produce, commodities and services.

This partnership presents a new paradigm as it will promote confidence, trust and accountability among and between stakeholders.

Other participants present at this grand event (MOU signing ceremony) include the Cross River Basin Development Authority (CRBDA), Cross River National Park (CRNP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Compliments of the Season!

Compliments of the Season! NiNAS wishes to inform the Public that work continues remotely with us till month end but we shall be open for in-person appointments from January 2021. Thank you all and do have a Merry Christmas

WORKSHOP: ECOWAS HARMONIZED STANDARD FOR FACE-MASKS AND HYDRO-ALCOHOLIC GEL HAND SANITIZER FOR PREVENTION OF SPREAD OF COVID-19 VIRUS

“NiNAS hosted an interactive workshop for regulatory bodies on ECOWAS Harmonized Standard for Face-Masks and Hydro-Alcoholic Gel Hand Sanitizer for prevention of the spread of Covid-19 virus. Represented organizations include Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), NAFDAC, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service and Federal Produce Inspection Service. The aim of the workshop was to enlighten regulatory agencies responsible for certifications and standards on the new required standards and the application of these standards.

In line with the purpose of the workshop, discussions were held between NiNAS and the organizations present on the values and processes on accrediting regulatory methods as relates to laboratory, testing, certification, inspection and other conformity assessment activities. The meeting was declared open by the Director of trade, FMITI Mr. A.M. Abubakar who represented the minister.”

OFFICIAL PROJECT LAUNCHING

NIGERIAN MEDICAL LABORATORIES STRENGTHENING PROJECT, NMLSP ...towards accreditation for Serologic and Molecular Biology Test

NMLS Project is designed to build the capacity and equip some Nigerian Medical laboratories to be competent to conduct serologic and molecular biologic tests within Nigeria Health System.

The project is necessitated by the challenges faced by Nigerian Health system from onset of covid-19 pandemic and during the peak of the crisis. Looking at what we have now and predicting the possibilities of future pandemic of similar nature, there is need for some of our medical laboratories to have the capacity to provides clinical analysis in molecular biologic samples.

Announcing the official launching of the project, The Director General /CEO of Nigeria National Accreditation System, Celestine Okanya stated that the project is aimed at addressing the absence of competent laboratories to conduct clinical serologic and molecular biologic test samples in Nigeria’s regular health system. He further pointed out the lack of modern equipment used for molecular analysis in General hospitals and most Teaching Hospitals as well as the lack of relevant working experience in area of serologic and molecular biologic tests among most of our medical laboratory scientists practicing within our health system.

He envisions that this project will prepare our medical laboratory system for current and future pandemics of molecular biologic origin such as Covid-19 in a fashion that we can have an integrated system to diagnose, treat or manage disease out-break without having to set up whole new systems outside our existing health system. The DG hopes that the project will build the capacity of our laboratories to perform these classes of tests in our Hospitals at a reasonable distance to our cities and at affordable rate.

The collaborating institutions and organizations includes Nigeria Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, MLSCN, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, Bloom Health Nigeria, Nigeria National Accreditation System, NiNAS and many more listed on the project document. Present at this launching includes The heads or Representatives of these organisations. Dr. Lawrena Okoro of MLSCN was appointed as the Project Lead.

NiNAS

All posts by : Joshua Jegede