Nairobi, Kenya. 08 December 2025: The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) today announced that it has reduced compliance testing of imports and exports from over 20 to an average of seven days as a result of new laboratory equipments installed at its head quarters five months ago.
KEBS managing director Mrs. Esther Ngari made the announcement during the commissioning of the laboratory equipment which were financed by the British High Commission, under the Regional Economic Development for Investment and Trade Programme that is implemented by TradeMark Africa (TMA). She remarked that the modern equipment has enhanced analytical capability, reduced turnaround time, and supported compliance with local and international standards for food, agricultural and industrial products. This means products can now be certified and released faster into the Kenyan market and cleared for export within commercially viable timelines.
The equipment installed include an Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) system, a Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectrophotometer, and a Microwave Inductively Coupled Atmospheric Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (MICAP-OES). Collectively, these equipment will improve the detection of harmful chemicals, pesticide residues, heavy metals, mycotoxins, adulteration, nutritional components and contaminants in food and industrial products. In addition, equipment like the MICAP-OES unit eliminates the need for purchasing argon gas consequently lowering the operational overhead costs.
Making her remarks Mrs. Ngari, said, “Testing that initially took weeks now takes days. This means safer food for consumers, faster product release for manufacturers and a more predictable compliance pathway for exporters. These equipment strengthen public safety and enhance Kenya’s global competitiveness.”
Dan Wilcox, Economic Counsellor and Head of Prosperity and Climate at the British High Commission Nairobi said, “This partnership is about getting fresh Kenyan produce into global markets and breaking barriers to trade. Businesses now have a fairer and faster route into the UK, EU, and other high-value markets. The Kenya-UK partnership is one that delivers – we’re going far, together”
Lillian Mwai Ndegwa, Kenya Country Director at TMA, said, “Reliable, fast laboratory testing is one of the strongest levers to reduce non-tariff trade barriers. When results are released in days instead of weeks, exporters waste less, farmers earn more and Kenya becomes a trusted supplier of safe, quality products. This upgrade will reduce port-side rejection, unlock market opportunity and directly benefit the businesses and households that depend on trade.”
The impact of this upgrade is expected to be far-reaching. For instance, previous aflatoxin contamination incidents in flour and animal feed required lengthy analysis, increasing the chance that unsafe products could access the market before detection. With faster turnaround time, KEBS can isolate contaminated products earlier while clearing safe product expeditiously, protecting consumers and livestock.
Similarly, exporters of fresh produce such as avocados, vegetables, spices and nuts have, in the past, risked market loss due to non-compliance with the stringent maximum residues limit (MRL) leading to delays exceeding shipping clearance windows. With the upgraded capacity, results can now be released in a matter of days rather than weeks, reducing spoilage and rejection risk while improving Kenya’s image in the global fresh produce value chains.