SONCAP

SONCAP stands for the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Conformity Assessment
Programme.
In line with the statutory function of the SON as entrenched in the Act No 56 of 1971 and
subsequent amendments, the SONCAP programme was introduced in 2005 by the Federal
Government of Nigeria to address the challenges of the incessant influx of substandard and
unsafe products into the country. Three Programme Management Companies (PMC); Swede
Control Intertek Limited, SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance and TUV Rheinland Group
were appointed to administer SONCAP globally on behalf of SON.

The programme is a set of conformity assessment and verification procedures applicable to all
products imported into Nigeria except those under the purview of the exemption list (include link
to exemption list). The compliance of such products is with the applicable Nigeria Industrial
Standards (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 basis
for ensuring that all goods imported into Nigeria conform to NIS or equivalent acceptable
international standards.

The scheme was designed to ensure that imported products meet the specifications of
acceptable standards for the protection of Nigerian consumers from unsafe and substandard
finished products.

Under the SONCAP scheme, conformity to approved standards is a mandatory requirement for
imported products. Therefore the SONCAP certificate is mandatory for Customs clearance of

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goods under the import requirements of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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General Description
SONCAP

is a pre-shipment verification of conformity to Standards process used to verify

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 o
Prevent the dumping of substandard goods into the Nigeria market and as a result preventing economi
Impede loss of lives and property including foreign exchange bearing in mind that the exporting country
Forestall any adverse reaction (such as environmental pollution occasioned by destruction of substand
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 SONC
-

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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Goods classified as contraband by the Federal Government of Nigeria

Used products other than automobiles

Bonafide manufacturerslink
whotointend
importtopermit
import machinery
).
or related spare parts for their manufacturing ar

The Federal Government through an Inter-ministerial Technical Committee on Comprehensive Import Su

Routes for Determining Conformity of Product(s)

Each shipment of good(s) or product(s) subject to SONCAP arriving any Nigerian Port must be accompa

The SON has defined three routes that maybe applied as appropriate conformity assessment procedure

Route A: For unregistered/Unlicensed products (Conformity Verification)

Each shipment to be imported requires inspection, consignment testing to applicable standards, witness

Step 1: Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status)

Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status), valid for six months to be issued by IAF upon satisfactory co
- Inspection
- Product Sampling: Samples submitted for testing shall be (i) drawn by the IAF, or (ii) drawn under IAF s

Step 2: Test Report

Test 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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- Receipt of satisfactory Test Report as per step 2

- Satisfactory goods verification, witnessing of stuffing of Full Container Loads (FCL) and affixing of seals
- Receipt of satisfactory final documents

In the event of non-compliance with the testing and/or inspection requirements, the IAF shall issue a Non

Route B: For Registered Products (Registration and Conformity Inspection

Registration of products is done following type testing and assessment of the manufacturers quality syst

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 m
Manufacturer/Exporter under route A could be elevated to Route B based on good compliance history (m

Step 2: Test Report

Test Report, issued by approved laboratory or manufacturer, to be received by IAF for every shipment b

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
- Receipt of satisfactory final documents

In the event of non-compliance with the testing and/or inspection requirements, the IAF shall issue a Non

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Route C: For Licensed products (Product Certification Systems)

Licensing of products is based on detailed evaluation of the product, including testing and factory audit a

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 m
Manufacturer under route B could be elevated to Route C based on good compliance history (minimum o

Step 2: Test Report

Type Test Report, issued by the manufacturer or approved laboratory, to be received by IAF for every pr

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
- Receipt of satisfactory final documents

In the event of non-compliance with the testing and/or inspection requirements, the IAF shall issue a Non
SONCAP Services

The SONCAP Scheme is

link
operated
to IAF websites
on the behalf).of SON by four International Accreditation Firms (IAFs)

China Certification andwww.ccic.com

Inspection Group (CCIC)

Cotecna Inspection Limited

www.cotecna.com
SA

Socit Generale de Surveillance

http://www.sgs.com/en/Public-Sector/Product-Conformity-Assessment(SGS) SA -
PCA/Nigeria-SGS-Mandate.aspx

Intertek

www.exports2nigeria.com

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No territory or region or area has been assigned to any of the IAFs. The IAFs are free to operate in every
Scope

In order to encourage quality and competition that will enable exporters, importers and the consumers at
SONCAP Compliance Procedures

The scheme entails two mandatory processes of verification of product quality to meet specified standar

Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) or Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) or Product Cert
Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
SONCAP Certification (SC)

These documents are mandatory for importation and Customs clearance of SONCAP regulated goods u

Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status), Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) or Product Certifica

The SONCAP Certificate (SC) is a mandatory Customs clearance document in Nigeria. It is issued by St

The SONCAP compliance procedures are designed to provide flexibility in the testing of regulated produ
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 charg
b. The cost of new products is $300.

iii) Certificate of Conformity =$300

a. 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

Testing is governed by the provisions of ISO 17025 in terms of organization of the testing laboratory, tec
Accreditation Firms Offices

(
link to IAF offices
)
SONCAP Import Permit
The SON shall issue SONCAP import permit to exempt certain categories of imports of regulated produc

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