The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged manufacturers and other stakeholders in the cosmetics industry to comply with approved standards and requirements on prohibited ingredients to ensure safety of consumers.
The Director, Lagos Operations, SON, Mrs Tessy Ojomo, gave the charge on Tuesday in Lagos at a sensitisation and Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certificate presentation by the organisation.
The event has as its theme “Promoting Safe Cosmetics in Nigeria: Awareness and Compliance with Prohibited Ingredients Requirements”.
Ojomo said that the event aimed to increase awareness and promote compliance among stakeholders in the cosmetics industry.
She said approved standards were essential to protecting consumers and promoting confidence in cosmetics manufactured and marketed in Nigeria.
She urged manufacturers and other stakeholders to ensure that prohibited ingredients were not used in cosmetic products.
According to her, for the good of all, it is imperative that we comply with the relevant requirements governing the industry.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Toiletries Manufacturers Group, Mr Uche Okafor emphasised the need for greater collaboration among regulators, manufacturers and other stakeholders to promote production and distribution of safe cosmetic products.
Okafor said manufacturers had a responsibility to ensure that ingredients used in their products complied with approved requirements, while consumers also needed adequate information to make informed choices.
Similarly, Head, MANCAP, SON, Mr Ayodele Akinware, stressed the importance of compliance with standards in the production of cosmetics, urging manufacturers to pay close attention to ingredients used in their products.
Akinware said strict adherence to standards would help protect consumers and reduce the circulation of unsafe cosmetic products in the country.
He called on stakeholders to make product safety a priority and support efforts to strengthen compliance within the cosmetics industry.
Stakeholders unanimously called for sustained collaboration between SON, manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders to promote compliance with standards and ensure the availability of safe cosmetics in Nigeria.
