Adeyinka Adeniji 
The World Bank has warned that Nigeria and other developing countries risk deeper marginalisation in global commerce as international standards increasingly determine who can participate in trade and which products gain access to global markets.
In its World Development Report 2025: Standards for Development, the Bank revealed that standards, ranging from food safety requirements to digital infrastructure protocols now shape about 90 per cent of global trade, a sharp rise from 15 per cent in the late 1990s. For Nigeria, where exporters of cocoa, sesame, cashew and manufactured goods often face technical barriers, the findings underscore a growing threat to competitiveness.
“Standards are both central and unsung today,” said Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group. “When they’re set right, they go unnoticed… The standardized shipping container might well have catalyzed more trade in manufactured goods than all the trade deals put together.”
According to the report, most developing countries, including Nigeria have limited representation on international committees that set global standards. With less than one-third participation in key ISO committees, many of the rules shaping Nigerian businesses are crafted without the country’s input. This imbalance, the Bank warns, undermines export prospects and deepens structural disadvantages.
Sergio Mujica, Secretary-General of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), said the World Bank’s findings highlight the urgent need for reform. “International standards are no longer invisible infrastructure; they are critical enablers of sustainable, inclusive development,” he said. “Unlocking their full development potential requires ensuring all countries can participate in their creation and effectively implement them.”
The report urges developing nations to integrate standardisation into their economic development strategies, pointing to Japan’s post-war industrial rise as evidence that robust national standards institutions can drive innovation, industrialisation and global competitiveness.
“The lesson from the most successful economies is that standards are not just technical rules; they are the foundation for innovation and global competitiveness,” said Xavier Giné, Director of the 2025 World Development Report. “Countries that treat standards as part of their development strategy are the ones that manage to climb the ladder of prosperity.”
For Nigeria, the report reinforces the need to boost export quality, strengthen manufacturing and widen non-oil revenue by not only implementing stronger domestic reforms but also securing firmer representation at the global standard-setting table.
