QIIN & Cademy Celebrate NiNAS’s Global Recognition

A Turning Point for Nigeria’s Quality Infrastructure

The Quality Improvement Institute of Nigeria (QIIN), together with Cademy Limited, heartily congratulates the Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) on its monumental achievement of securing international recognition under:

1. African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC)

2. International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)

3. International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

This milestone, publicly unveiled today at the NiNAS Global Launch in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, which I had the honour of attending, marks a defining moment for Nigeria’s National Quality Infrastructure (NQI).

Standing with Mr. Celestine Okanya, the visionary DG of NiNAS, for a commemorative photograph was deeply symbolic. It represented not only personal pride but a collective national triumph for all those working to strengthen standards, conformity assessment, and accreditation in Nigeria.

Why This Achievement Matters for Nigeria’s Future

NiNAS’s acceptance into ILAC, IAF, and AFRAC Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) means one thing: Nigeria has stepped onto the global accreditation stage with full credibility. Only a handful of African countries have attained this status.

This new recognition delivers several transformational benefits:

1. Global Acceptance of Nigerian Certificates

Laboratory tests, calibrations, certifications, and inspection reports from NiNAS-accredited bodies can now be accepted in over 140 countries, without repetitive verification abroad.

2. Reduced Export Rejection Rates

Nigerian exporters, especially in agriculture and food products, can significantly cut losses arising from technical barriers to trade and poor conformity assessment alignment.

3. Strengthened AfCFTA Participation

This recognition positions Nigeria to compete more effectively across African markets, improving trust and compliance in intra-African trade.

4. Alignment With National Economic Goals

The achievement supports federal priorities in:

1. Economic diversification

2. Industrialization

3. MSME competitiveness

4. Job creation

5. Quality-driven manufacturing and exports

Recognizing the Partners Behind the Achievement

This milestone did not happen in isolation. It is the product of sustained, multi-stakeholder support over the years.

International Partners

1. British Standards Institution (BSI) provided critical technical guidance and capacity-building support.

2. The UK Government, through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Department for Business & Trade, played a major role in funding and guiding the Standards Partnership Programme.

Their support strengthened NiNAS’s systems, assessor competence, and alignment with global best practices.

National Institutions

• The National Quality Council (NQC) provided strategic leadership to deepen national quality reforms.

• The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) worked collaboratively with NiNAS to strengthen Nigeria’s standards and conformity assessment ecosystem.

• The Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and  Investment & other regulators and professional bodies, individuals also contributed to building an enabling environment for accreditation recognition.

NiNAS’s success is therefore a collective national achievement, powered by strong partnerships and dedicated institutions.

A Strategic Opportunity for QIIN & Cademy

As champions of quality transformation in Nigeria, QIIN and Cademy believe that this global recognition for NiNAS is not just an achievement—it is a strategic accelerant for Nigeria’s quality movement.

The timing aligns perfectly with ongoing and upcoming initiatives already set in motion by QIIN and Cademy.

1. Strengthening Capacity Through ISO-Based Training

Over the past two years, QIIN has significantly expanded its training portfolio, with a strong focus on conformity assessment and laboratory quality management:

1. ISO 15189:2022 – Medical Laboratory Quality & Competence

2. ISO 17025:2017 – Testing & Calibration Laboratories

3. ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems

These national-scale trainings have equipped Nigerian professionals with the skills required to thrive under the new internationally recognized accreditation environment.

2. Preparing Laboratories for Accreditation

Cademy Limited, supported by QIIN’s educational backbone, has already begun preparing multiple laboratories across Nigeria for NiNAS accreditation.
These include:

1. Medical and diagnostic labs

2. Environmental testing labs

3. Calibration and metrology labs

4. Fertility and IVF labs

5. Industrial and engineering laboratories

This pipeline of laboratories reflects a growing national appetite for global competitiveness and compliance.

3. The Upcoming National Assessors’ Development Programme (2026)

To sustain this momentum, QIIN is launching the National Assessors’ Development Programme (NADP) in early 2026.

This programme will:

1. Train a new generation of assessors and technical experts

2. Strengthen human capacity for conformity assessment

3. Expand the talent pool available to NiNAS and accredited bodies

4. Support the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s accreditation ecosystem

With NiNAS now globally recognized, the demand for assessors will rise sharply, and QIIN will only try to meet that need.

Everyone is welcome to help out! The vistas of inexhaustible value chains have just opened up, leaving no room for competition but for collaborations! 

4. Driving National Quality Advocacy

QIIN and Cademy will strategically use this milestone to:

1. Promote the use of NiNAS-accredited laboratories across sectors

2. Strengthen regulatory alignment with SON, NAFDAC, FCCPC, MLSCN, NAQS, NESREA, and others

3. Integrate accreditation thinking into national and sub-national quality-training programs

4. Deepen stakeholder engagement in health, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, education, and public service sectors

5. Advancing Nigeria’s National Quality Policy

This moment offers an unparalleled opportunity to push for:

1. Sector-wide quality reforms

2. Stronger regulatory compliance

3. Wider adoption of accredited conformity assessment practices

4. National competitiveness under global and AfCFTA frameworks

QIIN and Cademy stand ready to collaborate, support, and drive this next wave of Nigeria’s quality transformation.

Finally! A New Chapter for Nigeria

NiNAS’s global recognition is not just a certification milestone—it is the opening of a new chapter for Nigeria’s economic, industrial, and scientific progress.

As someone who witnessed the celebration firsthand, and stood proudly beside the DG NiNAS today, I can confidently say that Nigeria’s quality journey has entered a new era.

Quality is rising—and Nigeria is rising with it.