Uganda to form a National IEC committee to fight substandard electronics
IEC Secretary General and CEO Philippe Metzger said IEC standards and conformity assessment systems can help Uganda achieve its ambition of growing its economy tenfold by 2040.
UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa addresses stakeholders during a meeting held last week. (Courtesy)
__________________
Uganda is in the formative stages of establishing its first-ever National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a move aimed at curbing substandard electrical and electronic products.
This was revealed during a breakfast meeting held last week in Kampala, organised by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and attended by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, the National Standards Council and the visiting Secretary General and CEO of IEC, Philippe Metzger.
This has been the missing link, Commissioner for Industry and Technology, Denis Ainebyona, who represented the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, said.
"This has been a missing link, and we are now moving in the right direction. This hidden infrastructure is very critical to support industrialisation and trade," Ainebyona said.
“Uganda has about 7,900 registered industries and an estimated 15,000 unregistered, all dependent on electricity. Adopting IEC standards will make power more reliable, industries more competitive and boost Foreign Direct Investment.”
He reaffirmed government commitment to strengthening the National Quality Infrastructure by funding UNBS and called on IEC to support Uganda with capacity building and training.
IEC Secretary General and CEO Philippe Metzger said IEC standards and conformity assessment systems can help Uganda achieve its ambition of growing its economy tenfold by 2040.
"IEC standards and conformity assessment are not just technical; they are economic infrastructure. They help businesses access markets, reduce costs and uncertainty, accelerate innovation for SMEs, and build investor confidence," Metzger said.
He commended Uganda's plan to increase generation from 2GW to 8.3GW and expand electricity access to 85% by 2030, saying IEC has a full suite of standards to support generation, transmission and distribution to ensure safety, reliability and interoperability.
UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa blamed poor national structuring for the influx of substandard products, unreliable electricity and growing e-waste.
"A huge portion of Ugandans' expenses goes to electricity, electronics and appliances, but there has been an outcry over counterfeits, citing phones that burn users and new irons that fail to work.
The National Committee brings together government, industry, academia and researchers, but its effectiveness will depend on commitment, a clear work plan, defined priorities, assigned responsibilities and measurable outputs focusing on industrialization, digitization, energy, manufacturing and consumer safety.