TANZANIA Bureau of Standards (TBS) destroyed substandard goods worth 1.5bn/- between July and December 2024, it has been revealed.

Dr Ashura Katunzi, TBS Director General, made the announcement in Dodoma yesterday, saying the organisation conducted inspection at different markets in the country and confiscated the goods.

She addressed reporters on the achievements of the bureau over the last four years and plans ahead, stating that the four-year had been a period of great success for the TBS in carrying out its duties.

Over that period, TBS had developed 1,823 new standards aligned with market needs to help businesses and entrepreneurs produce high-quality products that meet the required standards.

She said this had facilitated both domestic and international trade, boosting economic growth. Over 2,402 quality certificates and licences had been issued, including 1,066 licences for small traders, with the government allocating over 350mn/- annually to support small-scale producers free of charge.

She noted that TBS allocated 2.7bn/- to improve seven zonal offices (Arusha, Mwanza, Mtwara, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Kigoma and Mbeya) and border offices at key entry points, namely Tunduma, Kasumulo, Horohoro, Holili, Tarakea, Namanga, Mwanza port, Mwanza Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Sirari, Kabanga, Rusumo, Mutukula, Bagamoyo port, Mbweni port, Dar es Salaam port, Julius Nyerere International Airport and Tanga port.

“TBS operates 115 technical committees for standards development across sectors such as food, chemicals, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, construction, textiles and leather, minerals, mining machinery, and environmental management”, she said.

To prevent Tanzania from becoming a dumping ground for low-quality goods, 18,588 product consignments and 162,160 used vehicles were inspected before importation.

TBS had also conducted training sessions for 5,052 stakeholders, including manufacturers and processors to enhance their knowledge of standards and quality.

In 2024, TBS and Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) trained 1,000 food producers across 10 regions; Dar es Salaam, Singida, Mwanza, Geita, Kagera, Kigoma, Shinyanga, Tanga, Ruvuma, and Kilimanjaro.

TBS has embraced Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance service delivery in areas such as quality certification, cargo inspection and product registration. 

The organisation has integrated its Online Application System (OAS) with the Tanzania Electronic Single Window System (TeSWS) to streamline import permit processing.

In 2023, TBS won the Best Regulatory Authority in Africa award, highlighting its commitment to excellence in standards and quality control.

TBS became the first institution in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to receive international product certification accreditation in a wide scope within a short time, making it the third institution accredited by SADCAS as of September 2024.

In 2025, TBS attained ISO 22003:2022 accreditation, becoming the first institution in SADC to achieve this level in food management system certification.

TBS experts are internationally recognised, often invited by SADCAS to provide technical support in metrology, certification and inspection.

Moreover, in 2023, a TBS expert won the ISO Next Generation Award, organised by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

The award recognised contributions to developing standards that promote sustainable development goals (SDGs). The winner, selected from among young experts under 35 from 175 ISO member countries, received the award in Brisbane, Australia.