The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has announced that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will receive free standard verification for their first three years. The government will cover the costs, allocating between 150m/- and 200m/- annually for this purpose.
TBS Director General, Athuman Ngenya, explained that after the initial three years, SMEs will gradually start paying for verification, beginning with 25% of the fee and eventually reaching 100% by the seventh year. He encouraged entrepreneurs to participate in the program, as the government has allocated these funds to cover operational expenses.
Ngenya also recommended that SMEs attend training sessions organized by TBS and the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO). These sessions aim to enhance knowledge on improving product quality and competitiveness, thus facilitating the verification process. The training, conducted under SIDO, will focus on product quality and raising awareness of the standards required by TBS. Upon completion of the training, SIDO will issue a letter acknowledging entrepreneurs' participation, which they can then present to TBS to initiate the product verification process.
TBS was established to bolster the institutional infrastructure supporting the industry and commerce sectors of the economy. Its mandate includes quality control measures for various products and promoting standardization across industry and commerce.