Standards Drive Growth

ZCSA tells SMEs that adhering to mandatory technical requirements enhances competitiveness, boosts productivity and profitability, and shields local products from unfair foreign competition.

By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 – ( March 26, 2026) --- The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has urged Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to comply with compulsory standards to gain easier access to lucrative markets, both locally and internationally.

ZCSA Communications Manager, Brian Hatyoka, said the Agency that products meeting mandatory technical requirements are more likely to penetrate high-value markets.

According to Hatyoka, ZCSA Regional Manager, Elias Kansembe, said implementing standards helps businesses develop customer-focused products, increase productivity, and improve profitability. He added that standards also protect consumers from potentially harmful products.

Mr. Kansembe made the remarks during a presentation at the Access Bank SME Business Masterclass held in Lusaka yesterday under the theme, “From small to strong: Accelerating sustainable SME growth through business linkages and access to finance.”

His presentation was titled “Product Quality and Standards: Strengthening SME Competitiveness and Market Access.”

The Agency noted that it plays a supportive role by ensuring locally manufactured products meet the technical requirements of both local and foreign markets and protects local products from unfair competition posed by foreign imports.

“To you manufacturers, ZCSA wants to ensure that your raw materials and final products are fit for use. This will help you reduce damages, reworks, and claims, while guaranteeing market access and satisfied consumers,” Mr. Kansembe said.

One of ZCSA’s strategic objectives is to promote SMEs’ compliance with compulsory standards to enhance the growth, competitiveness, and acceptance of their products in the market.

In the keynote address, Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Permanent Secretary, Subeta Mutelo, said Government recognises that SMEs need information, skills, conditions, and connections, in addition to finance, to thrive.

“It is important to strengthen platforms that support capacity building and market linkages. These platforms bring the right people into the same rooms, create space for practical engagement, and support solutions that businesses can actually use,” Mrs. Mutelo said.

Access Bank CEO and Managing Director, Iheanyi Nwogu, encouraged SMEs to apply the knowledge gained during the masterclass to strengthen their businesses and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting SME growth in Zambia.

ZCSA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, mandated by the Compulsory Standards Act CAP 422 of the Laws of Zambia to administer, maintain, and enforce compulsory standards to ensure public safety, health, consumer protection, and environmental safeguarding.