The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) in 2023/2024 local quality product certification scheme has registered a fundamental increase. The MBS has awarded quality certificates to various companies for consistently upholding and complying to relevant mandatory Malawi Standards in their operations. 

The MBS annually holds quality certification awards in all the three regions of the country and these events aims at recognising and motivating companies to continue conforming to Malawi standards as well as authenticating quality of the products and services being offered in diverse sectors of the economy. Speaking at the event in Blantyre, the guest of honour who is also Chairperson of the Malawi Bureau of Standards Board, Mr Davlin Chokazinga expressed his gratitude on the increase of local companies who are patronising MBS local certification scheme include the newly MBS accredited scope of Quality Management Systems under ISO 9001-2015. The board Chairperson described the increase in local certification as a step in the right direction because it resonates well with Government commitment to have economic paradigm shift from being a predominantly importing and consuming to become producing and exporting. He stressed that, if local markets are saturated with certified products, it is a guarantee that local products and services can penetrate international market. 

Speaking at the same event, the Director General of Malawi Bureau of Standards echoed the guest of honour on the importance of local producers and service providers in patronizing MBS local certification scheme.  Dr Bernard Thole emphasized that the MBS has a pivotal in propelling realization of Malawi Agenda 2063. The Industrialization takeoff of our country predominantly depends on building quality conscious culture among the producers as well as consumers and the local SME’s should have ability in anchoring the economy by producing quality authenticated products and services in diverse sectors of the economy.

He then encouraged the SME’s in the country to take advantage of the MBS incentivized local certification package that the MBS is implementing in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Institute (SMEDI).

This year MBS has issued 411 quality certificates of which 273 are new entrants. The Southern region has 114 while Central region has 116 and the Northern region received 13. This has brought the total number of certificates under the MBS product certification scheme to 1, 156. Last year the MBS issued a total of 346 certificates of which 135 were new awardees. The MBS certification this year has increased by 102%. The MBS held quality certification awards on 25^th March in Southern region, 26^th March in Central region and on 28^th March 2024.