The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Sanjay Tanna, has directed the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to improve service delivery, shorten certification timelines and strengthen support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) seeking to formalise and expand their businesses.
Tanna issued the directive during a meeting at the Ministry of Trade headquarters in Kampala, where he and the Minister of State for Trade, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, engaged members of the 10th National Standards Council.
The meeting formed part of broader efforts by the ministry to improve performance across its agencies and ensure they contribute more effectively to Uganda's industrialisation and economic growth agenda.
Tanna said his ministry continues to receive complaints from SMEs and large manufacturers over delays in product certification and import clearance processes, warning that inefficiencies undermine business growth and competitiveness.
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He tasked the National Standards Council to prioritise faster and more accessible certification services, especially for small businesses.
"I task the National Standards Council to refocus and put more emphasis on supporting growing enterprises, especially SMEs, by reducing the time taken to acquire the Quality Mark to a maximum of two weeks. That way, Ugandans will feel the impact of the standards body," Tanna said.
The minister said UNBS plays a critical role in Uganda's economic transformation by ensuring product safety, promoting local manufacturing and supporting the country's ambition of expanding the economy from about US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040.
He urged the bureau to adopt practical approaches that improve efficiency while maintaining strong quality standards.
During the meeting, National Standards Council Chairperson Eng. James Kalibbala reported progress made by UNBS over the past year, including clearing inherited backlogs and increasing the number of certified enterprises from 501 to 1,270.
Kalibbala also highlighted improvements in staffing and funding, saying the bureau's budget increased from Shs62 billion to Shs130 billion in the 2025/26 financial year.
He said the additional resources enabled UNBS to develop 551 new standards and recruit 100 more staff.
However, Kalibbala acknowledged that more work remains to be done to improve service delivery and ensure the standards body has a greater impact on businesses and consumers.
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UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa said the bureau has launched its fifth five-year Strategic Plan covering the financial years 2025/26 to 2029/30, aligned with Uganda's National Development Plan IV (NDP IV).
He said the strategy focuses on supporting the country's Ten-fold Economic Growth Strategy through import substitution and export promotion.
Despite progress, Kasigwa pointed to continued challenges, particularly limited staffing and resources.
He noted that Uganda has more than 200 official and informal border points, but UNBS currently has personnel stationed at only 34 due to funding limitations.
Tanna reaffirmed government commitment to supporting UNBS to fulfil its mandate of protecting consumers, promoting industrialisation and facilitating trade.
Meanwhile, Gen. Mbadi urged UNBS to adopt a more supportive approach towards SMEs, saying businesses need guidance to comply with standards rather than only enforcement.
He said Uganda has secured access to various markets for locally produced goods, but many exporters fail to benefit because they do not meet required quality standards.
"UNBS should not only police SMEs but also teach, advise and guide them to meet the required standards," Mbadi said.
The ministers' directives come as government seeks to strengthen Uganda's standards framework as a foundation for industrial growth, export competitiveness and increased participation of local businesses in regional and international markets.
