Standards Organisation of Nigeria was established by Act. No.56 of 1971 which vested it with the authority for:

1. Standards elaboration
2. Specifications
3. Quality assurance system of commodities
4. Manufactured industrial and imported products and services generally
5. Metrology Services.

The Act No. 20 of 1976 which amended the previous one conferred on the Honourable Minister of Industry the power to declare Mandatory Industrial Standards in Respect of products or processes recommended by the Nigerian Standards Council.

The Act. No. 32 of 1984 changed the name of the Organisation to standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) from Nigeria Standards Organisation (NSO) to eliminate conflicting identity with the then Nigerian Security Organisation.

Finally, the Act No. 18 of 1990 conferred on SON partial autonomy from the Ministry of industry. This amendment gave far-reaching transformation to the Organisation succession and a common seal, and may sue or be sued in its corporate name.