Harare, (New Ziana) – The government has approved the Zimbabwe National Quality Policy (2026–2030), a framework designed to enhance industrial competitiveness and protect consumers from unsafe and sub-standard products.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Zhemu Soda said the government had approved the policy following a presentation by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Dr Frederick Shava who was the acting Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on National Development Planning.
He said the policy would establish a coordinated framework to strengthen Zimbabwe’s quality infrastructure while creating a competitive and fair business environment capable of positioning local industries in regional and global markets.
“The Zimbabwe National Quality Policy (2026–2030) will provide a coordinated framework for strengthening Zimbabwe’s quality infrastructure and engender a competitive and fair business environment, thereby enabling local companies to compete favourably in the regional and international markets,” he said.
Soda added that the policy would improve confidence in Zimbabwean products by ensuring that goods are manufactured according to agreed standards and undergo rigorous testing and certification.
“The Policy will ensure that goods are produced to agreed standards of measurement through accurate testing and certification. Ultimately, consumers will be protected from unsafe or sub-standard products,” he said.
He said the policy is built around six strategic pillars, namely standardization, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, technical regulations, and quality promotion and use.
Among the key interventions, the government plans to enact a new Standards Act that will formally recognise the Standards Association of Zimbabwe as the national standards body.
The policy also prioritizes programs to support the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while strengthening the National Metrology Institute under the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC).
Other measures include expanding accreditation services for testing, calibration, certification and inspection bodies, developing a National Conformity Assessment Framework, establishing a National Technical Regulatory Framework and implementing a structured National Quality Awareness Programme.
Soda said the policy would be backed by a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure effective implementation and measurable results.
“A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework will underpin Policy implementation and results-measurement,” he said.
The approval of the policy comes as the country continues to pursue industrialization, value addition and export-led growth, with quality assurance increasingly regarded as a critical requirement for improving product competitiveness, facilitating trade and unlocking access to regional and international markets.
New Ziana
