STANDARDIZATION THE SON EXPERIENCE

was established by Decree No. 56 of 1971 and statutorily charged with the responsibility for National Policy on Metrology, Standards, Testing and Quality Control (MSTQ) in Nigeria. Standardization activities carried out by SON range from development and approval of standards, quality assurance, inspection and testing, certification and calibration. Hardness measurement plays a vital role in Standardization. Product and System certification programmes of SON have recorded a considerable number of hardness measurements in industries, oil & gas facilities, laboratories and research institutions. This paper gives a detailed report of the Standardization activities in SON with emphases on Metrology. It started by giving a full description of the corporate entity, legal status, organizational structure, human and technical resources of SON. The paper goes further to show the functions and detailed activities of SON, including limits of capability. The role of hardness tests and values in quality assurance activities is given a considerable portion in this paper. The development of Metrological Infrastructure, which enhanced the promotion of Standardization activities in SON, is also highlighted. Fields of Measurements available in SON Metrology laboratory are enumerated. Institutional support and international co-operation with various foreign bodies and international organizations are included in the paper. In conclusion, the paper outlines the way forward to ensure the growth of metrology, hardness measurement in particular, and effective Standardization activities in SON. 1