KENYA — The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has obtained four international accreditations from the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), expanding its conformity assessment capabilities and positioning Kenyan products for improved global recognition.
The accreditations were presented by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry, Dr. Walter Juma Ongeti, to KEBS leadership at a ceremony in Nairobi.
KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari described the accreditations as a step toward enhancing trust in the country’s testing, inspection, and certification systems.
According to Ngari, the certifications provide independent validation of KEBS’ technical competence in product evaluation, laboratory calibration, sustainability claims, and information security compliance.
“These accreditations are a foundation for strengthening supply chain traceability, verifying sustainability claims, and ensuring the reliability of conformity data used by regulators and global buyers,” she said.
Expanded scope of certification and testing
The accreditations awarded include recognition of KEBS’ product certification scheme under ISO/IEC 17065, which enables the agency to certify that manufactured goods meet international product requirements. This standard is used globally by organizations that certify products for consumer and trade assurance.
In addition, KEBS’ African Conformity Assessment Program (ACAP) has been accredited under ARS/AES 01:2014. This African Regional Standard on Agriculture Sustainability and Eco-Labelling is designed to support responsible practices across the agricultural value chain.
With this accreditation, Kenya becomes one of the few African countries able to offer sustainability certification that aligns with continental eco-labeling benchmarks.
Another accreditation positions KEBS as a Proficiency Testing Provider under ISO/IEC 17043. This enables it to coordinate comparative laboratory testing schemes, ensuring that local and regional laboratories produce consistent and credible results.
Such schemes are essential for harmonizing food safety tests, water analysis, pharmaceutical quality checks, and other laboratory-based assessments.
KEBS has also extended its scope of system certification to include ISO/IEC 27001:2022, a global standard for information security management systems. This inclusion responds to growing concerns over data integrity and cyber risk in testing, certification, and supply chain audits.
Relevance to trade and regional market access
Industry analysts view these accreditations as a response to increasing global scrutiny over product origin, quality, and sustainability.
With stronger conformity systems, exporters in Kenya, particularly those in agro-processing, food, and pharmaceuticals, stand to benefit from improved acceptance of their products in international markets.
The certifications are expected to support Kenya’s regional trade ambitions under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by aligning its quality infrastructure with internationally recognized norms.
They also address persistent gaps in technical barriers to trade, which have historically limited the competitiveness of African exports.
Strategic positioning and future collaboration
KEBS has indicated that it will use these accreditations to deepen collaboration with public and private actors seeking certification, including businesses aiming to enter the EU and North American markets.
Ngari stated that the accreditations “reflect our readiness to support national industries with credible, internationally benchmarked systems that reduce duplication, support sustainability claims, and build confidence across value chains.”
With these developments, KEBS is expected to increase participation in African quality infrastructure forums and contribute to harmonization efforts in regional food standards, environmental labeling, and digital traceability protocols.
The Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), which granted the certifications, operates as the national accreditation body and is recognized under international multilateral arrangements.
Its assessments are aligned with global accreditation frameworks such as ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and IAF (International Accreditation Forum).
“We are committed to expanding access to trusted certification services. This milestone reflects Kenya’s promise that quality is not optional, it is guaranteed,” Esther Ngari noted.