AFRICA SEEKS STRONGER QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE AS EXPERTS PUSH FOR EXPANDED REGIONAL TRADE

African countries are being urged to increase investment in quality infrastructure as the continent steps up efforts to strengthen regional trade, improve industrial competitiveness and position locally manufactured products for greater access to international markets.

The call was made during the PAQI TBT/QI Stocktaking 2026 meeting held in Nairobi, where stakeholders drawn from different African countries and regional quality infrastructure institutions assessed the continent's progress in establishing reliable systems for standardisation, testing, accreditation, metrology and certification.

The meeting provided a platform for reviewing the state of quality infrastructure across Africa, identifying existing gaps and discussing strategies that will enable countries to develop systems capable of supporting sustainable economic growth and facilitating trade across national borders.

Speaking during the meeting, Dr Henry Rotich, Chairperson of the Pan African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI) Joint Committee, said the stocktaking report would play an important role in strengthening regional cooperation and promoting quality and sustainable trade across the continent.

Dr Rotich, a seasoned expert in metrology, testing and research and development (R&D), has more than 26 years of experience in the quality and regulatory environment. His extensive professional experience in the sector brings valuable technical insight to discussions on improving quality assurance systems and strengthening the capacity of African economies to meet international standards.

He emphasised the need for African countries to embrace sustainable approaches when developing their quality infrastructure, noting that the continent must progressively align its systems with emerging global requirements.

Dr Rotich expressed optimism that Africa would make considerable progress towards establishing greener and more sustainable quality infrastructure by 2027.

"By 2027, Africa will have made progress towards establishing greener and more sustainable quality infrastructure," he said.

His remarks come at a time when African countries are seeking to increase the volume of goods and services traded within the continent while addressing technical barriers that have historically limited access to regional and international markets.

Quality infrastructure is considered a critical foundation for economic development because it provides the systems and institutions required to ensure that products and services meet established safety, quality and performance requirements.

Through effective metrology, standardisation, accreditation, testing, inspection and certification, countries can build confidence in their products, protect consumers and ensure that businesses operate within recognised quality frameworks.

For African manufacturers, farmers, exporters and other businesses, reliable quality infrastructure can help reduce the cost of accessing markets, improve product acceptance and create opportunities to compete beyond domestic markets.

The African Union Commission also emphasised the importance of accelerating trade among African countries through improved quality standards and stronger cooperation among institutions responsible for ensuring compliance.

The commission's position reflects the growing recognition that removing tariff barriers alone may not be sufficient to achieve the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

African businesses must also be able to demonstrate that their products meet the required standards in destination markets. This calls for stronger testing laboratories, internationally recognised accreditation systems and harmonised standards that can be accepted across different countries.

Meanwhile, African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC) representative Ronald Josias revealed that 28 African economies now have fully operational, internationally recognised accreditation systems.

The development highlights progress made by several African countries in establishing institutions and mechanisms that support confidence in testing, inspection and certification services.

Internationally recognised accreditation systems are particularly important because they provide assurance that laboratories, inspection bodies and certification organisations are technically competent and operate according to recognised requirements.

Such recognition can help reduce unnecessary duplication of tests and inspections when products move across borders, making trade more efficient and less costly for businesses.

However, despite the progress recorded, the stocktaking report identified significant weaknesses that continue to affect the continent's quality infrastructure development.

According to the report, approximately 40 per cent of African Union member states still lack adequate quality infrastructure, raising concerns about their readiness to fully benefit from expanding intra-African trade opportunities.

The gap presents a major challenge for countries seeking to increase exports, attract investment and develop competitive manufacturing industries.

Without adequate testing facilities, certification institutions and internationally recognised accreditation systems, businesses in some countries may encounter difficulties proving that their products meet the standards required in other markets.

This can lead to increased production and compliance costs, delays in accessing markets and reduced competitiveness for African products.

The findings therefore point to the need for governments to prioritise quality infrastructure as part of their broader economic development and industrialisation strategies.

Increased investment in modern laboratories, technical equipment, skilled personnel and regulatory institutions will be necessary to address existing weaknesses and ensure that more African economies can participate effectively in regional and international trade.

The meeting also underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation among national standards bodies, accreditation organisations, metrology institutions and other regional and continental stakeholders.

Participants noted that harmonising standards and improving mutual recognition arrangements would help create a more predictable trading environment while reducing technical obstacles facing businesses operating across borders.

The push for greener and more sustainable quality infrastructure also emerged as an important component of the discussions.

As global markets increasingly place emphasis on environmental sustainability, African countries are being encouraged to develop quality systems that respond to emerging requirements in areas such as sustainable production, resource efficiency and environmental compliance.

For Africa, this transition presents an opportunity to ensure that its industrialisation and trade expansion agenda is aligned with changing international market expectations.

Dr Rotich's emphasis on achieving progress towards greener quality infrastructure by 2027 therefore places sustainability among the key considerations in the continent's ongoing quality infrastructure development agenda.

The discussions come as African countries continue implementing the AfCFTA, which seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services, promote economic integration and expand opportunities for businesses across the continent.

The success of the trade agreement will depend not only on improved market access but also on the ability of participating countries to establish dependable systems that guarantee the quality, safety and reliability of products entering regional markets.

For small and medium-sized enterprises, which form a significant part of Africa's business landscape, improved quality infrastructure could provide an opportunity to access new markets, attract business partnerships and expand production.

The meeting called for sustained government commitment, increased financial investment, technical cooperation and stronger institutional capacity to address the gaps identified in the report.

Stakeholders further stressed that quality infrastructure should not be viewed merely as a regulatory requirement but as an important economic tool capable of supporting innovation, protecting consumers, strengthening industries and creating confidence in African products.

As the continent works towards expanding intra-African trade and strengthening its position in the global economy, the findings of the PAQI TBT/QI Stocktaking 2026 report are expected to inform discussions and interventions aimed at improving quality infrastructure.

The ultimate goal is to build a more integrated African quality infrastructure system that supports internationally competitive products, promotes sustainable industrialisation and enables businesses across the continent to trade with greater confidence.