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As Kenya marked World Accreditation Day, stakeholders underscored the critical role of accreditation in unlocking international market access and enhancing trade efficiency. Accreditation ensures that businesses, particularly those looking to export, comply with global standards, promoting product safety, quality, and competitiveness.
Speaking at the event, the Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, noted that while Kenyan products continue to attract demand both locally and globally, compliance with required standards is essential to secure consumer trust and expand into international markets.
“As a department, we have launched several initiatives to help Kenyan businesses access global markets,” he said. “We are also committed to supporting them in meeting the necessary standards and qualifications to achieve this.”
Dr. Walter Ongeti, CEO of the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), emphasized the importance of accreditation for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“SMEs are the backbone of our economy,” he said. “Accreditation and certification not only validate their market readiness and safety compliance but also increase their access to financial resources.”
He added that quality assurance is fundamental, as certified products are more likely to meet safety regulations for both local and international markets. Certification also enables SMEs to attract capital and scale operations.
Accurate measurements were highlighted as another cornerstone of industry performance. They improve product quality, reduce waste, prevent rework, and facilitate compliance—ultimately resulting in greater customer satisfaction and cost efficiency.
One persistent challenge for SMEs remains access to capital Angela Mwirigi, Head of Digital Banking at Kenya Commercial Bank, said accreditation can help bridge this gap.
“With digital banking, we no longer need to assess businesses purely based on physical location,” she said.
“Accreditation provides an important benchmark that allows us to assess and support businesses more efficiently, particularly in a growing SME sector.”
KENAS has so far accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) in 13 countries, including Kenya, Burundi, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Seychelles, and Zambia. Notably, 83% of these accredited bodies are micro and small enterprises.
The Kenya Accreditation Service will host an International Accreditation Conference this November, bringing together local and global stakeholders to discuss how best to streamline compliance, enhance quality standards, and strengthen market access.
