The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) yesterday sealed up the warehouse of a Chinese firm, Three Friends International over low quality aluminium coils.

Mr Bede Obayi, the Head of Inspectorate and Compliance of the organisation, led a taskforce on an enforcement exercise to the aluminium coil warehouses in Lagos.

Obayi said the company stocked aluminium whose quality was below Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) minimum specification of 0.4 millimetres.

Obayi said SON is determined to rid the country of substandard products.

He explained that the team was on routine inspection to ensure that the company complied with the NIS minimum requirement for aluminium roofing sheets.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) accompanying the team reports that the minimum standard for aluminium sheet is NIS 487 and 486.

Obayi said the company used quality plain coil of about four layers to cover the low gauge coated coils.

He noted that some unscrupulous importers indulge in such sharp practices to evade payment of complete duty.

"The duty on colour coated aluminium coil is 20 percent while plain coil is five percent.

"We must ensure that what the consumers want is commensurate with the value of products they are getting so that they are not cheated."

He advised importers and dealers to sell the right products at the right quantity and quality.

"Your 0.50 mm, should be 0.55 mm. Anybody who wants to buy aluminium roofing sheets should go to the right source with expertise for standard measure."