UNBS Boosts Checks on Electrical Goods to Combat Substandard Imports

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is enhancing its scrutiny of electrical and electronic products to ensure only safe and compliant items reach consumers. This move follows crucial training between UNBS and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), designed to bolster Uganda’s adoption and application of international electrotechnical standards.

The training equipped UNBS technical officers and members of Uganda’s National Committee of the IEC with vital skills for evaluating conformity claims and leveraging the country’s membership in the commission. Uganda joined the IEC as an associate member in 2020, granting access to global standards and a platform for contributing to their development.

These international standards, once adopted by Uganda, serve as benchmarks for assessing the safety, quality, and performance of electrical and electronic goods available locally. UNBS Executive Director, Eng. James Kasigwa, emphasized the importance of these enhanced standards due to the rising importation and use of electrical products, highlighting consumer, trade, and environmental protection as key objectives.

To date, UNBS has integrated over 288 IEC standards covering a wide array of products, including appliances, cables, solar systems, and renewable energy technologies. The majority of tests conducted by the UNBS electrical laboratory rely on these IEC standards.

The recent training also delved into IEC conformity assessment schemes for various product categories. This strengthened capacity will better enable UNBS inspection teams and conformity service providers to identify genuine compliance and block substandard or counterfeit electrical and electronic goods from entering the market.

François Ahoti, IEC Regional Director for Africa, pledged continued support for Uganda’s capacity building in conformity assessment. He stressed the necessity for African nations to actively engage in international standardization to guarantee the safety and suitability of products entering their markets. The IEC’s work significantly impacts global trade, particularly in the electrical and electronics sector.

This strengthened collaboration arrives as Uganda experiences a surge in demand for electrical and electronic products, underscoring the critical need for robust quality controls and measures to address environmental concerns like electronic waste.