By Caroline Katana
For years, many small-scale manufacturers and entrepreneurs in Kwale County viewed product certification as a complicated and costly process that often required multiple trips to government offices in Mombasa or Nairobi.
Today, that reality is changing.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has digitized its certification services, making it easier for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to obtain quality certification, access new markets, and build consumer confidence while protecting consumers from unsafe and substandard products.
The initiative was highlighted during a media sensitization workshop in Diani that brought together KEBS officials and journalists from Kwale County. During the forum, the standards agency underscored the media’s critical role in educating the public on quality standards, consumer rights, and product certification.
Speaking at the workshop, KEBS Mombasa Market Surveillance Manager Peter Makhan, who represented Coast Regional Manager Bernard Nguyo, said collaboration with journalists is vital in ensuring accurate information reaches communities across the Coast region.
“Our objective is to help the media understand the work that KEBS does on a daily basis so they can effectively educate citizens on the importance of purchasing certified products and avoiding unsafe goods whose origin and quality cannot be verified,” said Makhan.
KEBS warned that substandard products continue to pose significant risks to both consumers and businesses.
According to the bureau, products that fail to meet established standards can expose consumers to health hazards, financial losses, poor performance, and safety risks. They also create unfair competition for manufacturers who invest in producing quality goods that comply with national standards.
Officials noted that increasing public awareness remains one of the most effective ways of combating the circulation of unsafe products in the market.
“When consumers understand quality marks and certification requirements, they become the first line of defense against products that do not meet the required standards,” Makhan said.
KEBS Mombasa Market Surveillance Manager, Peter Makhan
During the workshop, KEBS officials also clarified the difference between counterfeit and substandard products, a distinction that is often misunderstood by consumers and traders.
Counterfeit products are goods that illegally imitate a genuine brand, trademark, logo, or packaging with the intention of misleading consumers into believing they are purchasing an authentic product.
Substandard products, on the other hand, are goods that fail to meet the required quality, safety, or performance standards. While they may not imitate another brand, they do not comply with established specifications and can therefore pose risks to consumers.
Officials said substandard products can include food items, cosmetics, electrical appliances, construction materials, fertilizers, and other consumer goods. Such products may compromise public health and safety, reduce effectiveness, and result in financial losses for consumers and businesses.
The bureau urged consumers to check for relevant certification marks and report suspicious products to the appropriate authorities.
KEBS also raised concern over individuals impersonating its officers to extort money from traders and manufacturers
According to Makhan, fraudsters claiming to represent the bureau have damaged public confidence and created the false impression that genuine KEBS officers solicit bribes during inspections.
To address the challenge, KEBS has introduced a digital verification system that allows traders and members of the public to confirm the identity of any officer claiming to represent the organization.
Using a mobile phone, users can send an SMS to shortcode 20023 by typing HR#StaffNumber. The system immediately returns the officer’s official details, including their name and designation, helping businesses identify legitimate KEBS personnel.
The verification platform is expected to enhance transparency and protect traders from fraud.
Coast Regional Quality Assurance Manager Hassan Omar said KEBS has significantly simplified the certification process through the Kenya Integrated Management System (KIMS), an online platform that allows businesses to apply for certification remotely.
Under the new system, entrepreneurs can register products, submit applications, make payments, and track progress online without physically visiting KEBS offices.
“Traders from Shimoni, Vanga, Lunga Lunga and other remote areas no longer need to spend money traveling to Mombasa. Once an application is submitted through KIMS, it becomes our responsibility to visit the manufacturing facility, conduct audits, and collect product samples for testing,” Omar explained.
Coast Regional Quality Assurance Manager, Hassan Omar
The digital platform is expected to reduce business costs, save time, and encourage more enterprises to seek certification.
Omar cited local companies such as Hilwa and Kentaste as examples of enterprises that started small but expanded significantly after obtaining KEBS certification.
According to the bureau, products that meet required standards enjoy greater consumer trust and can access wider markets within Kenya and across the East African Community (EAC).
Certification also increases competitiveness by assuring buyers that products meet recognized safety and quality requirements.
For emerging manufacturers in Kwale and the wider Coast region, this can translate into increased sales, stronger brand reputation, new business partnerships, and access to regional trade opportunities.
As Kenya continues to promote industrialization and support local manufacturing, stakeholders say standards remain critical in ensuring locally produced goods can compete effectively in both domestic and international markets.
KEBS believes that simplifying certification procedures and increasing public awareness will encourage more entrepreneurs to formalize their businesses, improve product quality, and contribute to economic growth.
The agency is now calling on consumers, manufacturers, and traders to embrace quality standards and make use of available digital tools to verify products and certification marks.
For consumers, understanding quality standards and purchasing certified products may be the difference between obtaining safe, reliable goods and falling victim to unsafe or substandard products.
For businesses, certification is increasingly becoming more than a regulatory requirement, it is a gateway to growth, market expansion, and long-term success.
