PS Abubakar Graces World Accreditation Day 2025 Pre-Conference, Champions Accreditation for SME Growth and Investment
The Principal Secretary, State Department for Investment Promotion, Mr. Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, CBS, joined stakeholders at the World Accreditation Day 2025 Pre-Conference hosted by the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS). The event served as a curtain-raiser for the upcoming International Accreditation Conference, set to take place in November 2025.
In his keynote address, PS Abubakar commended KENAS for convening a timely and strategic forum that aligns national priorities with global accreditation practices. He emphasized that the event was not just a celebration, but a platform to shape Kenya’s accreditation agenda in support of trade, industry, and investment.
“Accreditation is a cornerstone of investor confidence, market access, and product credibility,” said the PS.
Driving Kenya’s Investment Competitiveness
Speaking to the theme of the upcoming conference, “Shaping Global Accreditation Practices for Excellence and Trust,” the PS underlined the link between accreditation and economic transformation, especially in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, renewable energy, ICT, and agribusiness.
He reiterated that accredited conformity assessment services are essential in boosting the credibility of local enterprises and facilitating their integration into international markets.
Empowering MSMEs through Accreditation
PS Abubakar acknowledged the vital role of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)—which make up over 90% of Kenya’s businesses—in achieving inclusive growth. However, he noted that for MSMEs to thrive, they must meet increasingly stringent quality and safety requirements.
Through KENAS-accredited inspection, testing, and certification services, MSMEs can:
- Access new markets,
- Reduce business risk,
- Improve efficiency,
- And become investor-ready.
This, he affirmed, is directly aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which focuses on unlocking opportunities for grassroots enterprises.
Commitment to Quality-Driven Investment
The PS further lauded KENAS’s global recognition through its signatory status with ILAC and IAF, institutions that promote mutual recognition of accredited services worldwide. He pledged the State Department’s continued collaboration with KENAS in:
- Promoting adoption of accredited services,
- Strengthening the investment ecosystem,
- Supporting MSMEs to scale through quality assurance,
- And attracting partnerships for Kenya’s competitiveness.
Conclusion: Let’s Shape the Future Together
In closing, PS Abubakar urged all stakeholders to embrace the pre-conference as a springboard for actionable insights, leading into the main International Accreditation Conference in November.
“You can’t attract if you’re not attractive,” he noted, reminding the audience that trust, driven by accreditation, is key to unlocking investment and economic growth.
As World Accreditation Day continues to be marked across Africa, this session reaffirmed KENAS’s role in positioning accreditation as a strategic enabler of national development.
