KENAS Advances Accreditation Capacity to Support Intra-African Trade

Mutetei Mutisya

Oct 29, 2026 — 2 min read

KENAS contributes technical expertise to the ARSO Conformity Assessment Programme, strengthening confidence in certification and supporting Africa's trade integration.

The Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS) has contributed to continental capacity-building efforts through its participation in the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) Conformity Assessment Programme (ACAP) Training of Trainers, aimed at strengthening the competence of certification and accreditation professionals across Africa.

Mr. Michael Talam, Deputy Director, Accreditation Compliance, Enforcement and Quality Assurance at KENAS, facilitated the accreditation-focused module of the virtual programme held on 28–29 October 2026.

The training formed part of ARSO's broader initiative to strengthen the capacity of certification bodies and accreditation bodies to support credible conformity assessment services across the continent.

Strengthening Confidence Through Accreditation

As African countries pursue greater economic integration, the reliability of conformity assessment results remains essential to facilitating trade and protecting consumers.

Accreditation provides independent confirmation that conformity assessment bodies, including certification bodies, have demonstrated competence to perform specified activities in accordance with applicable international standards.

Through the training, participants explored the accreditation perspective within conformity assessment and its importance in promoting confidence in certification processes and results.

Building this technical understanding is particularly important as businesses seek to access markets beyond their national borders, where confidence in the competence and impartiality of conformity assessment bodies can help reduce unnecessary duplication of assessments.

Supporting Africa's Trade Integration

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents significant opportunities for African businesses to expand into regional markets. However, technical barriers to trade, including differing conformity assessment requirements, can limit these opportunities.

Strengthening accreditation systems and promoting consistent application of internationally recognised requirements can contribute to greater acceptance of conformity assessment results across borders.

By supporting technical capacity development, KENAS contributes to the wider efforts to build confidence in African products and services, facilitate trade and strengthen the continent's quality infrastructure.

KENAS's Commitment to Technical Cooperation

KENAS continues to support capacity development, technical cooperation and the advancement of accreditation practices at national, regional and international levels.

Its contribution to the ARSO training reflects the importance of sharing technical expertise and strengthening professional competence in accreditation and conformity assessment.

As Africa advances its industrialisation and trade integration agenda, credible accreditation remains an important foundation for confidence, market access and consumer protection.

Through initiatives such as ACAP, KENAS continues to contribute to a stronger and more connected African quality infrastructure system.

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