Zanzibar, Tanzania 20 February 2025: The Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS), in collaboration with TradeMark Africa (TMA) and with funding from UK International Development, Ireland, and Norway, has launched the Integrated Standardisation, Quality Assurance, Metrology, and Testing (iSQMT) system that will significantly streamline certification, product testing, and compliance services for businesses. The system is set to reduce the time taken for product certification by at least 40%, lower compliance costs, and enhance efficiency in standardisation. By ensuring that products meet national, regional, and international standards, it will increase market access for Zanzibar’s businesses, improve consumer safety, and strengthen the island’s trade competitiveness.
Export rejection rates across Africa average 20% due to non-compliance with quality regulations (UNCTAD, 2023). Previously, businesses in Zanzibar faced delays and high costs in obtaining product certification, often relying on external testing services. The iSQMT system eliminates these inefficiencies, providing a fully automated platform that simplifies processes, reduces paperwork, and improves service delivery. With approximately 70% of informal traders in Zanzibar being women (World Bank, 2022), the system will particularly benefit small-scale entrepreneurs by enabling them to access certification more easily and integrate into formal trade.
H.E. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, Second Vice President of Zanzibar, highlighted the strategic importance of this initiative while launching the platform, stating: “For Zanzibar to thrive in a competitive regional and global economy, our products must meet the highest quality benchmarks. The launch of the iSQMT system is a major step in reducing trade barriers and ensuring compliance with international standards, strengthening our position in regional and global markets.”
He further noted that the global market has become increasingly stringent with regulatory requirements and that by embracing digital solutions such as the iSQMT system, Zanzibar is well positioned as a trusted trading partner, enabling its businesses to meet international quality and safety standards efficiently.
Zanzibar Bureau of Standards Director General, Yusuph Nassor reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting businesses and ensuring consumer safety: “Quality assurance should not be a barrier to trade. The iSQMT system makes certification faster, more transparent, and more cost-effective, allowing businesses to focus on scaling their enterprises while meeting stringent market requirements.”
Zanzibar’s Blue Economy sector, particularly seaweed and aquaculture products, has historically faced challenges in accessing premium markets due to a lack of recognised standards and testing facilities. Prior to TMA’s intervention, seaweed farmers and processors could not certify their products locally, increasing costs and limiting market expansion. Through TMA’s support, Zanzibar has now developed and gazetted five (5) new quality standards for seaweed-based products, enabling small-scale entrepreneurs to secure the necessary certification for exports. Zaidat Products, a local business that benefited from these new standards, recently won a Tanzania Quality Award—an endorsement of the impact of enhanced standardisation​.
Monica Hangi, TradeMark Africa Regional Director for East and Central Africa highlighted the broader impact of this initiative, saying: “Ensuring that local businesses can access and comply with global quality standards is a game-changer for trade. The iSQMT system reduces compliance costs, enhances efficiency, and creates a seamless certification ecosystem that will drive Zanzibar’s export competitiveness.”
The launch of the iSQMT system also marks Zanzibar’s increasing role in regional harmonisation of trade standards. With TMA’s support, ZBS has hosted East African Community (EAC) harmonisation meetings, contributing to the development of uniform standards that will reduce technical barriers to trade between East African nations. This step will not only facilitate intra-regional trade but also bolster Zanzibar’s integration into wider markets​.
The iSQMT system is expected to have a profound impact on Zanzibar’s economy by improving product quality, enhancing food safety, and reducing compliance costs for businesses. By digitising quality assurance processes, it provides a reliable and transparent regulatory framework that ensures products from Zanzibar can compete regionally and internationally. This milestone reinforces Tanzania’s commitment to trade facilitation, strengthened regional integration, and economic growth through modernisation of standards.
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