Kebs Gets a High-tech Lab Upgrade for Sh67 Million.

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2026

Three cutting-edge laboratory pieces worth over Sh67 million have been put into service by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).Through Trademark Africa, the British High Commission in Nairobi provided assistance in obtaining the equipment.

The accomplishment is a major step toward strengthening Kenya's technical ability to guarantee high-quality, safe food, agricultural, and industrial products for both domestic and foreign markets.

A Microwave Inductively Coupled Atmospheric Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (MICAP-OES), a Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectrophotometer, and an Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) system are all recently installed systems.

Pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, nutritional components, contaminants, and indicators of adulteration include only a few of the safety and quality components that KEBS will accurately and effectively test for thanks to these advanced methods of analysis.

Also they will improve the efficiency of workflow in KEBS laboratories, allowing for greater compliance testing turnaround times.

This supports faster certification processes, quick trade facilitation, and faster industry responsiveness.

Notably, the MICAP-OES system minimizes relevant operating costs by an estimated Sh1 million per week simply by doing away with the necessity for argon gas for plasma generation.

Kenyan producers and exporters in sectors like food processing, horticulture, livestock feed, and manufacturing are expected to benefit significantly from the improved capacity for technology.

Kenya's competitiveness in global value chains will rise and export rejections will be lower as part of KEBS's improved ability to support industry operators in meeting local and international market requirements.

KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari committed to maintain Kenya's high-quality infrastructure during her remarks at the commissioning ceremony.

“The enhanced analytical capabilities will support safer products for consumers, better certification timelines for industry, and improved market access for exporters. KEBS appreciates the continued partnership with the British High Commission and TradeMark Africa in advancing our national quality assurance agenda,” she stated.

The aim of the support, said Dan Wilcox, Economic Counsellor and Head of Prosperity and Climate at the British High Commission Nairobi, is to build confidence in Kenyan goods and open global markets for them.

“Horticulture is one of Kenya’s fastest-growing export industries, yet delays in SPS compliance have previously led to rejection risk. By upgrading KEBS testing infrastructure, Kenya now has demonstrated competence to assure quality, health and safety of consumers, giving producers a fairer and faster route into the UK, EU and other high-value markets,” he said.

Reliable, fast laboratory testing is one of among the most powerful tools for minimizing non-tariff trade barriers, said Lillian Mwai Ndegwa, Kenya Country Director of TradeMark Africa.

“When results are released in days instead of weeks, exporters waste less, farmers earn more, and Kenya becomes a trusted supplier of safe, quality products. This upgrade will reduce port-side rejection, unlock market opportunity and directly benefit the businesses, cooperatives and households that depend on trade,” she stated.