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SON publishes energy efficiency standards for household, industrial products – EnviroNews
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The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has published five new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) covering household refrigerators, comfort fans, televisions, electric water heaters and electric motors as part of efforts to strengthen energy efficiency and promote compliance with its Mandatory Energy Labeling Scheme.
The organisation also urged manufacturers, importers and distributors of regulated products to register their products ahead of the commencement of enforcement of the SON Mandatory Energy Labeling Scheme (SONMELS) in December 2026.
In a statement issued by John Bature Francis, Group Head, Electrical/Electronics and Desk Officer for SONMELS, SON said the newly published standards were accompanied by supporting test-method and safety standards to guide product assessment and compliance.
The five standards are NIS 942-1:2026, Minimum Energy Performance Standard for Household Refrigerating Appliances; NIS 919:2026, Minimum Energy Performance Standard for Comfort Fans; and NIS 957:2026, Minimum Energy Performance Standard for Televisions.
The others are NIS 921:2026, Minimum Energy Performance Standard for Electric Water Heaters for Household and Similar Purposes, and NIS 1236:2026, Minimum Energy Performance Standard for Electric Motors.
According to SON, the standards are available through its Digital Standards Platform, the official national gateway for accessing Nigerian Industrial Standards.
Manufacturers, importers and distributors have been encouraged to obtain the relevant standards and verify that their products meet the applicable requirements.
Registration Ahead of Enforcement
SON disclosed that product registration under SONMELS remains open, urging manufacturers and importers of regulated products to complete the process before enforcement begins in December 2026.
The organisation also announced that products registered before the scheme’s official launch would be showcased at the launch event in Abuja as examples of compliant products.
The initiative is expected to encourage early compliance among businesses affected by the scheme and familiarise industry stakeholders with the applicable energy performance requirements.
SON further stated that the SONMELS Implementation Guidelines, Product Registration Application Form and approved fee structure remain available on its official website.
Stakeholders seeking clarification on the registration process and implementation requirements can contact the organisation through [email protected].
Promoting Energy Efficiency
The publication of the standards represents a step towards establishing minimum energy performance requirements for selected electrical and electronic products in the Nigerian market.
By setting performance benchmarks for the covered appliances and equipment, the scheme is intended to provide a framework for identifying products that meet prescribed energy efficiency requirements.
For consumers, effective implementation of energy labelling and minimum performance standards can help improve access to information about the energy performance of products, supporting more informed purchasing decisions.
For manufacturers and importers, compliance with the relevant standards will be important as SON prepares to enforce the scheme. The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to working with stakeholders to ensure the smooth and successful implementation of SONMELS