All posts by : Joshua Jegede

IAF celebrates 25 years in Singapore! Thank you to the many individuals who have contributed their time and expertise to building IAF & the IAF MLA with the mission of facilitating trade & sustainable development, supporting regulators and protecting consumers & the environment.

IAF-ILAC meetings 2018 Singapore: The #IAF MLA Committee decided today, based on the successful regional peer evaluation, that the Pacific #Accreditation Cooperation (#PAC) remains an IAF MLA recognized region – Congratulations from #EA!iaf.nu/articles/Regional_Accreditation_Groups/130 …

Now the #IAF–#ILAC meetings 2018 held in Singapore have started. In the next 11 days we will have important discussions on the global level about #Accreditation and #ConformityAssessment

For more details visit the official meeting website at iafilacmeetings.org

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) joint annual meeting comes up in Singapore. The Joint Annual Meeting will be held from 22 October to 31 October at the Singapore Grand Hyatt Hotel.
This annual meetings provide opportunity for Accreditation bodies all over the world to share ideas and develop strategies on how to improve the accreditation process all over the world. The two bodies are the highest regulatory bodies for Accreditation system.
Nigeria National Accreditation Service (NiNAS) will be representing Nigeria at the event. Get more details about the event

As part of the obligations of NiNAS as Full members of AFRAC, NiNAS participated in the AFRAC Annual Meetings held in Balaclava, Mauritius. The CEO, who is also ECORAS chair also participated in the meeting as ECORAS delegate.

NiNAS team participated in Marketing and Communication Committee, Inspection sub-committee, Technical Committee Meeting, MRA Committee and EXCO meetings.  The committee reviewed the MCC strategy and the brochure on the benefits of accreditation. Lawrena Okoro was re-appointed as the Editor of the AFRAC Newsletter. The workplan was reviewed and follow up actions were identified.

Click the picture below to view photos

The Nigeria National Accreditation Service (NiNAS) has been enlisted among other accreditation bodies in the world and first in West Africa as an Associate member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). ILAC is the international cooperation body for regional accreditation cooperation bodies which include African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC), Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Accreditation(SADCA), Arab Accreditation Cooperation(ARAC), Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), Inter American Accreditation Cooperation (AAC) and European co-operation for Accreditation (EA).

Attaining Associate membership of ILAC by any accreditation body is the highest membership status to be attained before being considered to sign the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). With this achievement, NiNAS is now not only recognized in Africa where she is already a Full Member of AFRAC but also globally. The NiNAS team is committed to the next stage of her development which includes peer evaluation and expansion into other scopes relevant to our economy.

Once NiNAS becomes a signatory to the MRA, any Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) accredited by NiNAS automatically gains a global recognition. What this means to the Nigerian economy is that products and services certified by a NiNAS-accredited laboratory or conformity assessment body will be accepted anywhere in the world. This holds a great potential to boost the Nigerian economy and change the global image of Nigerian products and services.

NiNAS Associate membership status can be confirmed on ILAC Official website and the News publication.

Nigeria National Accreditation Service celebrated the World Accreditation Day on Friday, 8th June, 2018 at its new office location in Abuja. Some of the highlights are captured in the video below.

On Friday June 8, 2018, Nigeria National Accreditation Service celebrates world accreditation and commissions its new office located at No. 15 Kwame Nkrumah Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria. The event was witnessed by several dignitaries and members of the press.  Click the picture below to see photo gallery of the event

Nigeria National Accreditation Service, NiNAS, has been accepted as a full member of the African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC) after a thirty day ballot period by the AFRAC General Assembly voting members.
As full member of AFRAC, NiNAS now has the right to be represented at the AFRAC General Assembly and Committees, as well as participate in nominations and elections of the leadership of the General Assembly and all AFRAC Committees. With its new status, NiNAS has full access to all AFRAC documents.
NiNAS will be obligated to provide technical and administrative support to AFRAC leadership, comply with the Cooperation’s objectives, and promote the General Assembly and Mutual Recognition Arrangement Council and all AFRAC Committee resolutions.
AFRAC Full Membership is granted to legally established independent accreditation bodies that are appointed or recognised by their government or sub-regional block and are in operation in the African region. Full Members must have demonstrated that they are operating in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC guides and standards, the relevant international documents (ILAC and IAF) and the requirements of AFRAC.
NiNAS had been an associate member of the Cooperation from 01 May, 2017 until 29 May, 2018. NiNAS began accreditation assessment of laboratories in March 2018. A total of 14 Laboratories have been assessed with one accreditation Certificate issued while others are undergoing further reviews.
Nigeria National Accreditation Service was established in 2015 within the framework of National Quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria (NQIP), funded by the EU and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). NiNAS is a national accreditation body that provides credible and cost-effective accreditation services for conformity assessment bodies i.e. testing and calibration laboratories, certification and inspection bodies, according to international ISO/IEC standards.

The Nigeria National Accreditation Service has moved to its new office location at No. 15 Kwame Nkrumah Street, Asokoro, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria, West Africa.

This also serves as an official notice to our existing and prospective clients and stakeholders