Ministry to leverage on service accreditation to empower MSMEs
CHRISTINE CHERYL -MYGOV
The Government will leverage accreditation of products, systems and services in its quest to achieve the industrialization and investment agenda for economic growth.
Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion, Mr. Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, said that accreditation is the cornerstone of investor confidence, market access and product credibility.
Abubakar called on stakeholders to leverage conformity assessment as a tool for both economic growth and global competitiveness. He emphasized that as Kenya pursues an ambitious industrialization and investment agenda, accreditation must be at the heart of ensuring that products, systems, and services meet interna tional expectations.
The PS made the remarks during this year’s World Accreditation Day (WAD) organized by the Kenya Accreditation Ser vice (KENAS) in Nairobi, under the global theme “Accreditation: Empowering SMEs.”
“Accreditation is no longer a back-office compliance task but a critical driver of trust in key sectors such as digital banking, public health, renewable en ergy, marine science, and climate accountability,” Abubakar said.
The PS specifically highlighted the importance of accredited services for empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which constitute over 90 per cent of Kenya’s enterprises.
He noted that MSMEs are vital to achieving inclusive growth and driving the Bottom-Up Eco nomic Transformation Agenda (BETA), but must meet ever-rising quality thresholds to access new markets and scale sustainably.
Abubakar noted that through testing, inspection, and certification services accredited by KENAS, MSMEs can reduce business risk, improve efficiency, and become investor-ready, contributing meaningfully to the national economy.
“You can’t attract if you’re not attractive,” he remarked in closing, noting that trust, built through accredited systems, is the invisible engine behind economic growth.
The event brought together regulators, as sessors, investors, academics, and innovators in a moment of national reflection and planning, culminating in a Pre-Conference for the upcoming International Accreditation Conference (IAC2025), scheduled for November 2025.
Abubakar described the forum not merely as a celebration but as a strategic platform to shape Kenya’s economic agenda, particularly in catalyzing investment, enhancing product credibility, and strengthening market access.
KENAS CEO, Dr. Walter Ongeti, emphasized the need for assessors to guide clients in updating their certification, branding, and digital systems ahead of the transition, reiterating that proactive communication will be key in maintaining client confidence.
Dr. Ongeti noted, accreditation is no longer confined to technical circles—it now sits at the heart of Kenya’s quality infrastructure, investment agenda, and global reputation. you’re not attractive,” he remarked in closing, noting that trust, built through accredited systems, is the invisible engine behind economic growth.
He said that the up coming IAC2025 in November promises to be a landmark moment, further entrenching Kenya’s leadership in accreditation and standardization on the continental and global stage.