Kenya joins global community in celebrating World Accreditation Day 2026

Kenya has joined the international community in marking World Accreditation Day 2026, with stakeholders highlighting the critical role accreditation plays in driving innovation, building trust, and supporting sustainable development.

The 2026 global theme, "Innovation, Trust and Sustainability: The Power of Accreditation," emphasises the importance of accreditation in ensuring confidence in laboratory results, testing, calibration, and conformity assessment services as scientific methods, technologies, and stakeholder expectations continue to evolve.

Speaking during the opening celebrations in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Industry in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana, emphasised that accreditation is critical to Kenya's economic transformation agenda.

"Accreditation is not a peripheral technical function; it is a strategic pillar of our economic development," he said, noting that quality and credibility are essential as Kenya seeks to become a value-adding, export-driven, and investment-oriented industrial hub.

He added that internationally recognized accreditation systems strengthen the global acceptance of Kenyan products, support regulatory confidence, and help local enterprises access regional and international markets.

"For us to compete effectively in the East African Community, the European Union, the UK, the UAE, the US, and China, we must ensure our standards meet global requirements," said Dr Mukhwana.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), Dr Walter Ongeti, said this year's theme strongly resonates with Kenya's current development trajectory.

He described accreditation as "the silent passport" that ensures Kenyan products and services are trusted in both local and international markets, adding that it transforms trade agreements into real economic gains for farmers, manufacturers, innovators, and MSMEs.

Dr Ongeti noted that KENAS is committed to expanding accreditation into key growth sectors such as agribusiness, ICT, and green technologies, while also supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to meet export requirements and compete globally.

"Over the years, KENAS has continued to convene assessors both physically and virtually to strengthen technical expertise and ensure accredited institutions meet internationally recognised standards," said Dr Ongeti.

According to Ms. Lucy Namu, Chief Manager, Laboratories at the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), as of May 2026, KENAS had 302 accredited clients, up from 281 in June 2025. The largest share of accredited organisations comprises medical testing laboratories, followed by testing and calibration laboratories.

The event brought together representatives from government agencies, laboratories, certification bodies, inspection organisations, and industry players to discuss the growing importance of accreditation in supporting national development priorities.