Bureau Veritas Nigeria Achieves ISO 17025 Accreditation for African Quality Assurance Centre

This internationally recognized accreditation confirms AQAC's exceptional competence in laboratory testing, ensuring the highest level of accuracy and reliability for stakeholders and is aligned with Bureau Veritas LEAP| 28 of being our customers’ preferred partner for excellence and sustainability.

An ISO 17025 accreditation proves that a laboratory has implemented an effective quality management system and possesses the capability to deliver accurate testing and confident results.

The African Quality Assurance Centre laboratory provides a wide range of services, including physical and chemical testing of food and agricultural products, contaminants analysis, microbiological testing, water analysis, soil analysis, plant analysis, and organic substrate analysis.

Jean-Michel Perret, Managing Director, Bureau Veritas Nigeria said, “We are incredibly proud to have achieved the ISO 17025 accreditation for the African Quality Assurance Centre. This milestone reflects our steadfast commitment to providing the highest standards of testing and inspection services. It also demonstrates our dedication to supporting Nigeria’s AgroFood industry in meeting international quality benchmarks, thereby facilitating greater access to global markets for ‘Made in Africa’ products.”

Bertrand Martin, Senior Vice President, Bureau Veritas Africa, added, “The ISO 17025 accreditation of the African Quality Assurance Centre is a testament to our continued efforts in advancing quality and safety standards across Africa. This achievement not only enhances the credibility of Nigerian AgroFood products but also reinforces our role in promoting economic growth and trade on the continent and beyond. We are proud to partner with Afreximbank in this initiative.”

In collaboration with Afreximbank, Bureau Veritas Nigeria recently announced the initiation of project development activities for two new AQACs: one in Ngor Okpala, Imo State, on 3 June 2024, and the other in Kaduna State on 14 June 2024. These developments build upon the successful commissioning of the pilot AQAC in Ogun State, Nigeria, in December 2022.

The AQACs are also expected to expand intra-regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) by ensuring products meet standards and regulations at export destinations n the second oawithin the continent. Afreximbank is collaborating with stakeholders, including the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), to harmonize standards in key sectors, thereby promoting a cohesive trade environment.

The AQAC, located on a 5-hectare plot along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria, is strategically positioned 65km from Lagos, Nigeria’s main port city and commercial capital, and 75km from Ibadan, a major commercial and industrial hub in south-western Nigeria. The AQAC ensures that "Made in Africa" products meet required safety and health standards for both local consumption and international export, enhancing the acceptability of African products in global markets.