We’ve begun moves to increase automation, digitisation of our operations – SON’s DG

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Mallam Farouk Salim, said the agency has initiated moves to increase the automation and digitization of its operations to enhance the productivity of the organisation for effective service delivery.

Salim disclosed this during the 2023 Strategic Leadership Retreat for Management Staff of the agency with the theme; “Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Through digitalisation.” in Uyo on Tuesday.

He stated that over the years, the organisation has been making efforts to digitize all processes and procedures in an attempt to make the Agency a world-class standards body.

Salim said the standards organisation of Nigeria has already strengthened its ICT department as a fulcrum to digitize and automate its operations.

According to him, Conformity Assessment Programme Scheme, Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme, Ports and Borders Processes, Library Services, Payment System and National Registry for Conformity Assessment Practitioners have been digitized.

“Digitalisation is a key driver of standardisation and economic growth in both developed and developing countries across the world.

“Digitalising the public sector operations and services like our organisation enhance rapid industrialisation which in turn would create jobs, and reduce poverty and insecurity in our country.

“I have set up a modernisation committee comprising representatives of relevant departments which I personally chair to drive our ICT roadmap.

“We are in the process of engaging the services of Webb Fountain, an ICT Consultant to critically review our infrastructure with a view to addressing them based on the recommendation of the committee,” Salim said.

He, however, stated that the retreat was to build synergy amongst management staff, developing a roadmap to address challenges of digitalising the entire organisation, among others.

He called on participants to actively contribute and provide deep insights into the issues to be discussed and come up with a roadmap to fully digitize the organisation.

In his remarks, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Inuwa Kashifu in his keynote address commended SON for making the right move to digitalise the organisation to cut down clumsiness during operations.

Kashifu, who was represented by Dr Aristotle Onumo, Acting Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, NITDA decried that resistance to change to digital ways and inadequate critical infrastructure like high-speed internet broadband were some of the setbacks of digitalisation in the country.

He expressed confidence that the new initiative and collaboration with NITDA would also help the organisation to reduce human workload, increase transparency, reduce redundancy and increase revenue generation in SON. 

The DG, however, said that inadequate trained human resources and inadequate funding to procure digital equipment and infrastructure were challenges confronting digitisation operations.