(JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN) – South Sudan’s national standards body has completed the renovation of its central laboratory in Juba and equipped it with new machines to improve product testing and certification.
The upgraded laboratory will allow more tests to be carried out locally, cutting delays previously caused by sending samples abroad.
The South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) says the facility can now test products for parameters including heavy metals, sugar content and fatty acids.
Naima Samson-Goma, Director of Certification and Export, said the upgrade could reduce certification delays from two to three months to about one month, depending on the tests required.
The bureau says the laboratory upgrade will improve product quality, safety and consumer confidence in certified goods.
In a public clarification, SSNBS said the central laboratory had been operational and providing laboratory services all along. The recent renovation was undertaken to improve and strengthen the laboratory’s working environment and capacity.
The bureau said some specialised equipment donated to it in 2017 had not been put into use because it needed proper installation, calibration and technical support.
It said those machines are now fully operating. For example, the HPLC and AA machines have been calibrated and are fully operational, strengthening the bureau’s capacity to carry out more advanced testing.
The renovation and reactivation of equipment form part of SSNBS’s wider commitment to strengthening national testing capacity, protecting consumers and making sure products in South Sudanese markets meet required standards.
The upgrade supports the vision of Executive Director Oiylang Dominic Kanuto to progressively strengthen SSNBS laboratories and work towards accreditation in line with internationally recognised standards.
SSNBS stated in a press release that this is more than an upgraded facility, an investment in public health, consumer protection, quality products and confidence in the South Sudanese market.
In related news, SSNBS is taking part in the 20th EAC Codex Forum meeting in Kigali, Rwanda. The meeting runs for four days, from 6th to 9th October 2026.
Representing SSNBS is Emmanuel Kenyi Bilal, a Senior Standards Officer and the EAC Codex Forum focal person for South Sudan. He joins regional experts to, among other agenda items, develop a common position for the EAC ahead of the upcoming CCCF19 and CCFICS28 meetings.
The common position is intended to promote trade, strengthen consumer protection, support industrial development and advance regional integration.
SSNBS says it remains committed to contributing to regional standardisation efforts for consumer protection and sustainable economic growth.
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