Business
Minister Tanna tasks UNBS to rid market of substandard goods
While officiating at the 10th National Standards Council at the Ministry of Trade on Tuesday (August 4), Tanna also asked the standards body to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to easily access product certification services.
The Standards Council team poses with the ministers after the meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. (Courtesy
By: Prossy Nandudu, Journalist @New Vision
__________________ Eng. James Kalibala (centre) engages Minister of Trade Sanjay Tanna (right) and Gen. Mbadi (left) during the Standards Council meeting. (Courtesy)
The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Sanjay Tanna, has directed the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to step up their performance and rid the Ugandan market of substandard products.
While officiating at the 10th National Standards Council at the Ministry of Trade on Tuesday (August 4), Tanna also asked the standards body to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to easily access product certification services.
He said the delay in accessing product certification by SMEs has created room for substandard and fake products to flood the market as genuine products suffer.
“I have received a number of complaints, especially from SMEs and the big manufacturers on the performance of UNBS, with many citing the delays in the certification of their products and import clearance at the borders,” Tanna said.
In the meeting, Tanna tasked the National Standards Council to focus on supporting the growing enterprises, especially the SMEs, by reducing the time that they take to acquire the quality mark, preferably a maximum of two weeks. "That way, Ugandans will feel the impact of the standards body,” Tanna said.
The minister added that UNBS is a big anchor to achieving Uganda’s goal of expanding the economy from roughly $50 billion to $500 billion by 2040.
“I have received a number of complaints, especially from SMEs and the big manufacturers on the performance of UNBS, with many citing the delays in the certification of their products and import clearance at the borders,” Tanna said.
In the meeting, Tanna tasked the National Standards Council to focus on supporting the growing enterprises, especially the SMEs, by reducing the time that they take to acquire the quality mark, preferably a maximum of two weeks. "That way, Ugandans will feel the impact of the standards body,” Tanna said.
The minister added that UNBS is a big anchor to achieving Uganda’s goal of expanding the economy from roughly $50 billion to $500 billion by 2040.
The meeting, which was also attended by the Minister of State for Industry, Gen. Mbasu Mbadi, is one of the initiatives by Tanna to streamline their operations and improve efficiency in all government agencies that are under the ministry.
Mbadi emphasised the need for UNBS to improve efficiency, saying the Government has secured markets for Ugandan products.
He asked the bureau not to police SMEs on certification but instead teach, advise, and guide them.
During the meeting, the chairperson of the National Standards Council, Eng. James Kalibbala, informed the ministers that for the past one year in office, the council has so far increased the number of certified enterprises by UNBS from 501 at the time they assumed office to 1,270 today. Appointed in July 2025, Kalibbala is the chairperson of the 10th National Standards Council, which oversees the operations of UNBS.
The UNBS executive director, Eng. James Kasigwa, informed the meeting that the bureau still faces a number of challenges, including staffing and funding gaps, saying Uganda currently has over 200 official and informal border points. However, with the staffing and funding gaps, he said the bureau is able to deploy staff at only 34 border points across the country.
Mbadi emphasised the need for UNBS to improve efficiency, saying the Government has secured markets for Ugandan products.
He asked the bureau not to police SMEs on certification but instead teach, advise, and guide them.
During the meeting, the chairperson of the National Standards Council, Eng. James Kalibbala, informed the ministers that for the past one year in office, the council has so far increased the number of certified enterprises by UNBS from 501 at the time they assumed office to 1,270 today. Appointed in July 2025, Kalibbala is the chairperson of the 10th National Standards Council, which oversees the operations of UNBS.
The UNBS executive director, Eng. James Kasigwa, informed the meeting that the bureau still faces a number of challenges, including staffing and funding gaps, saying Uganda currently has over 200 official and informal border points. However, with the staffing and funding gaps, he said the bureau is able to deploy staff at only 34 border points across the country.