Togo urges businesses to apply for African-Wide product certification under AfCFTA
The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) has issued a Call for Expressions of Interest to producers, processors, and manufacturers across the continent to support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In Togo, the High Authority for Quality and the Environment (HAUQE) is encouraging local production and processing enterprises to submit applications before September 20, 2025.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to boost economic integration by facilitating the movement of African goods across regional and international markets.
A key tool for achieving this goal is product certification through Harmonised African Standards (ARS), which ARSO believes will help reduce technical barriers to trade and enhance the competitiveness of local businesses.
The proposed certification offers three major benefits:
- Harmonising quality standards to ease regulatory obstacles and streamline cross-border trade.
- Strengthening consumer confidence through improved traceability and product reliability.
- Providing certified companies with global recognition, as ARSO standards align with those of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
For Togo, this represents a strategic opportunity. By adopting these standards, local businesses can improve their competitiveness both domestically and internationally.
The initiative supports the AfCFTA’s broader vision of creating an integrated African economic space capable of competing with other major global trading blocs.
HAUQE’s push for participation underscores Togo’s commitment to continental economic integration.
Ultimately, this certification could serve as a catalyst for local industrialisation and the promotion of “Made in Africa” products worldwide.
Kodjovi MAKAFUI
