ZANZIBAR, 26 JUNE 2025 – Tanzania has taken centre stage in continental standardisation efforts as it hosts the 72nd General Assembly and Council Meetings of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), being held from 23rd to 28th June 2025 in Zanzibar.
The high-profile event, coordinated by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) in collaboration with the Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS), brings together policymakers, industry leaders, regulators, and innovators from across Africa to shape the future of standardisation, trade facilitation, and consumer protection across the continent.
Partnering for Progress: TBS and SICPA Tanzania
As part of its commitment to strengthening industrial development and promoting regulatory excellence, TBS has invited strategic stakeholders—including SICPA Tanzania, a key technology and security solutions partner—to join the platform. The aim: to spotlight Tanzania’s efforts in tax revenue protection, trade facilitation, and quality assurance.
SICPA Tanzania, a fully Tanzanian-operated company with over 150 local employees, has played a vital role in advancing standardisation and compliance through its digital traceability and authentication systems. The company supports TBS via the Fuel Integrity Solution, which helps ensure fuel quality, reduce fraud, and secure vital tax revenues.
Additionally, in partnership with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), SICPA implements the Electronic Tax Stamp (ETS) system—an innovation designed to enhance tax collection, curb illicit trade, and promote fair market competition.
Elevating Standards Through Innovation
“Our partnership with TBS at ARSO 2025 reflects our shared mission to modernise compliance and traceability infrastructure in Tanzania and across Africa,” said Mr. Alfred Mapunda, Managing Director of SICPA Tanzania. “We are honoured to showcase our solutions to African standardisation bodies, and to support Tanzanian authorities in achieving their ambitious goals in securing tax systems and empowering consumers.”
SICPA’s technology empowers governments to:
- Identify and eliminate counterfeit and substandard products
- Improve consumer trust through traceability and secure labelling
- Enhance enforcement of market standards and reduce unfair competition
- Protect legitimate manufacturers and importers
- Strengthen regulatory and surveillance capacity
High-Level Endorsement
The ARSO 2025 forum is graced by high-level officials, including Hon. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, Second Vice President of Zanzibar, alongside heads of national standards bodies and regional economic communities. It serves as a unique platform to align Africa’s industrialisation agenda with innovation-driven regulation and public-private collaboration.
Stay tuned to our blog for continuing coverage of ARSO 2025 and insights into how public-private partnerships like that of TBS and SICPA are shaping the future of secure, competitive, and compliant trade across Africa.
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