Standards key to industrialisation

Powering Malawi’s Growth: Key Standards for Industrial Takeoff

Post was last updated: January 25, 2026

Key Business Points

  • The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) plays a crucial role in facilitating trade and industrialization, with a central focus on export drive, making it a vital institution for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
  • Institutions like MBS provide quality assurance standards, giving confidence to both local and international markets, and are essential for products to be certified and trusted globally.
  • The MBS is accredited at both regional and international levels, providing opportunities for Malawi’s certified products to meet international standards and access large markets like the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The Minister of Industry, Business, Trade and Tourism, George Parttridge, has emphasized the importance of the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) in facilitating trade and industrialization. During his visit to the MBS headquarters in Blantyre, Parttridge highlighted the institution’s critical role in setting quality assurance standards that give confidence to both local and international markets. This is particularly significant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which can benefit from MBS’s services to improve their product quality and competitiveness.

Parttridge noted that institutions like MBS are vital because they provide assurance that products are genuine and certified by an accredited body. He encouraged the MBS to raise awareness among stakeholders about its services, so more institutions can utilize this opportunity. This is in line with the government’s efforts to promote uziru wathu (buy Malawian) and support local industries.

The acting Director General of MBS, Thomas Senganimalunje, stated that the institution has international accreditation and overall capacity to support national development priorities, including in areas such as agriculture, mining, and other sectors. The MBS is also expanding the scope of its accreditation processes in line with export-oriented value chains identified in its strategic plan. For example, macadamia, which is already an export crop, is accredited, and other products like tea and honey are also included.

Senganimalunje highlighted that the MBS is testing over 70,000 samples annually across a wide range of products, including macadamia and tobacco, with major clients such as Malawi Mangoes and Johns Hopkins. This demonstrates the institution’s capacity to support local businesses in meeting international standards. With its accreditation at both regional and international levels, the MBS provides opportunities for Malawi’s certified products to access large markets like the African Continental Free Trade Area, with access to about 1.3 billion people and a gross domestic product estimated at $2.5 trillion. This presents a significant opportunity for Malawian entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and increase their exports.

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Vanessa Banda
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