Countries shift focus on standardisation to drive intra-African trade

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KEBS Managing Director, Esther Ngari speaks during the 32nd General Assembly of the African Organization for Standardisation [ARSO] in Mombasa on August 24,2026. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Kenya and other African countries have intensified efforts to adopt and implement harmonised standards to boost exports and imports among themselves.

They noted that disjointed standards have made it difficult for goods to move across the continent, hindering plans to expand intra-Africa trade and leaving most countries to rely on imports from outside Africa.

Experts on standards agreed to eliminate technical trade barriers and reduce the cost of doing business across the continent by adopting harmonised standards so that goods and services are accepted within the continent.