In response to high susceptibility to environmental hazards and attacks in Nigeria, the foremost property safety engineering company, Surveillant Fire Limited, in partnership with top global brands in safety equipment manufacturing, Hochiki Europe and NAFFCO, UAE over the weekend launched new range of property protection and fire fighting equipments into Nigerian market.
In a ceremony witnessed by industry players, corporate organisations and consulting engineers last Friday in Lagos, users of property protection equipments in Nigeria seized the occasion not only to witness the demonstration of new safety protection equipments being introduced into Nigeria, but to also interact with the manufacturers of the equipments who came from Europe and United Arab Emirates to have a first-hand interface with Nigerian industry players, including the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) at the event. While welcoming the industry stakeholders to the product launch, the chief executive officer of Surveillant Fire Limited, Jumade Adejola, said it is imperative to reappraise the protection of lives and property in Nigeria, a new approach be adopted and up-to-date technology be deployed if Nigeria is to be seen as a safe haven for investment and peaceful living. According to him, the launching of the Hochiki and NAFFCO equipments into Nigeria is another landmark in efforts to protecting lives and properties against fire outbreak and other hazards. The leading role of SFL in fire hazard protection and safety and security fortification in Nigeria is informed by a combination of merging stakeholders’ demands, and constant pursuit and identification with leading edge companies or technologies to develop innovative solutions that give clients values and ensuring that the clients’ safety objectives are realised. In keeping with the commitments therefore, the company has embraced strategic inputs of world leaders to provide best fire protection systems such that Nigerian clients can take full advantage of tested expertise available all over the world.
According to Mr Adejola, “SFL has been monitoring peculiar cases related to fire safety equipment in Nigeria and has been getting
back to the manufacturers and tasking them to go back into research and development to meet peculiar needs of Nigeria”. The Export Sales Manager of Hochiki Europe, Mark Jones, and his NAFFCO UAE counterpart, Sunil C. B. spoke extensively on fire protection systems and equipments that are being introduced into Nigerian market. With presentations ably backed with facts, figures and demonstration of the equipments, Mark Jones did not fail to hit at the cost of false alarms which, according to him, is presently causing UK a whopping one billion pounds annually. He later spoke extensively on various equipments and certification processes the equipments passed through before they are allowed to pass for use in Nigeria. In the same vein, NAFFCO’s Sunil C. B. emphasises the quality products his company has been making which has created open doors for the company in over 100 countries all over the world. In her remark, the representative of the Director General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Engr Mrs Ayeni expressed the delight of SON for Surveillant Fire Limited’s determination to bring good product to Nigeria. She commended SFL for its commitment to doing things right and for the company’s capacity to train and develop Nigerians in fire safety management. In her words, fire safety and protection is crucial for investment and peace of mind. She assures Nigerians that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria will continue to take steps, and to do processes that will improve the quality of products and services delivered to Nigerians. She informed the industry stakeholders that SON is committed to ensuring that Nigeria is rid of sub-standard products. According to her, SON is coming up with a process to match importers with brands they bring into the country to ensure that products counterfeiting are properly checked in Nigeria.
In the same vein, the president of the Association of Consulting Engineers in Nigeria (ACEN), Engr Ogunbayo, reiterated that while consulting engineers do not endorse safety equipments, it is the duty of the body to advise manufacturers of the equipments such as Hochiki and NAFFCO to ensure that whatever is specified will perform creditably well. In his words, with what he observed in the presentations made by the companies, he believes the products are quite impressive. Surveillant Fire Ltd, a wholly indigenous company, provides clients with innovative engineering solutions with keen emphasis on safety, quality, cost effectiveness, and time; guaranteeing best possible services with all competitiveness and at same time incorporating latest technological advancements and exquisite expertise to meet Nigerian corporate needs.