L-R: NICOS President,Grace Abamba and Vice President, NICOS, Olusola Ojo at 2nd Edition of NICOS Conference in Lagos

In a sustained effort geared towards ensuring safety and standard in the cosmetics industry, the Society of Cosmetic Scientists in Nigeria (NICOS) says it is collaborating with  the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, (SON) National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and others for this purpose.

Speaking at the sideline of  NICOS 2nd Annual conference in Lagos, President of NICOS Grace Abamba said that the conference was apt given the paramount of cosmetics to the people and its huge contribution to nations GDP.
Hence  she said nessacitated  the need to educate cosmetics firms on the future the industry desires.
“We’re talking about the future we want for our industry, every single person uses cosmetics be it as little as shaving crème or as much as the whole package for ladies.

“So its really important industry in terms of health and wellbeing, so we want to talk about how we build the future in terms of safety quality  and we want to be on the world stage.
“We are more than capable of working with important government agencies like; NAFDAC, SON and other SMEs and multinationals.
We will talk, we want to be at the table to add our voice in building this amazing industry” Abamba said.
She assured  that NICOS exist to promote standard across all board.
“We have specific product test we’ll have to do, we visit premises and conduct test, we manufacture to standard, so we know what those standards are and we comply with them consistently’.
Abamba assured that  NICOS is in the business of empowering member cosmetics firms  through education.
Also speaking on standard and quality and the event the Group Head, Chemical Technology, SON, Mrs Tessy Ojomo called on Nigerians to report  any manufacturing firm without SON ‘s approval.
‘We are encouraging Nigerians, when you see anyone manufacturing but  do not have SON approval you let us know.
On how they handle charlatans, Ojomo said
the agency names and shames any found.
According to her  “inspectors go out to inspector companies producing cosmetics to ensure that their process, raw materials and finished products meet requirement.
When there are non compliance, some a very minor, we write them, warn, guide and direct them on how to do quality products but anyone found  violating critical standard are sanctioned.
Similarly, the Vice President, NICOS, Olusola Ojo said one of the objectives of the society was to create awareness of international standards so that the local cosmetics industry can compete on the global scene.
“That’s what we’re doing by creating awareness, the right education and making people realize that there are local researches being recognized internationally and so being able to put us Nigerians; formulators, business owners on the global map…
“To create that international standard for them to know what’s happening in the global scene so as to position their products to meet up with international best practices and also give us better opportunity to compete” Ojo stated.