Rwanda Standards Board

What Rwanda Standards Board does

Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) is the government statutory body established under Law No. 50/2013 of June 28, 2013, operating under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), with statutory responsibility for national standardization, certification, quality testing, and metrology services in Rwanda. The organization is headquartered in Kicukiro, Kigali, employs 101-250 staff, and serves as Rwanda's WTO Technical Barriers to Trade National Enquiry Point. RSB develops, adopts, and publishes national standards (drawing on ISO, ASTM, Codex Alimentarius, ARSO, AFSEC, and EAS frameworks) and operates a diversified portfolio of accreditation-accredited services.

RSB's core product surface spans standards development and sales via its webstore (RWF 3,000-150,000 per document), product certification under the S-Mark, system certification (QMS, FSMS, OH&S, ISO 22000), Certification of Persons, Made in Rwanda quality mark, the Zamukana Ubuziranenge (ZU) technical assistance program for MSMEs, the Interlaboratory Comparison Scheme run under ISO/IEC 17043, and metrology and calibration services through the National Quality Testing Laboratory Division (NQTLD). Digital channels include a public website, an e-service portal (portal.rsb.gov.rw), a standards webstore, a certificate verification portal with QR verification, and a track-and-trace system (marks.rsb.gov.rw). The recently inaugurated RSB Quality Academy (June 2026), established under the KOICA-supported SISIC project, adds a dedicated training and capacity-building product line.

The business model combines fee-for-service commercial revenue (certification fees, testing fees, metrology fees, standards document sales) with government budget appropriation via MINICOM and donor-funded programs (KOICA, PTB, UNDP). Customer segments span MSMEs (primary), manufacturing and processing industries, agriculture and agro-processing, textiles and garments, and metrology laboratories. Strategic positioning is anchored by exclusive legal authority as the national standards body, RvA accreditation for management systems certification (Registration C 630), EAS SQMT Act recognition for product certification, and an extensive international partnership network including ISO, ASTM, PTB, ARSO, EAC, KOICA, UNDP, and bilateral arrangements with bodies such as JSMO (Jordan). RSB's 2026-2030 strategic plan and hosting of the 2025 ISO Annual Meeting signal continued institutional consolidation within the East African and African quality infrastructure landscape.

Name

Rwanda Standards Board

Legal name

Rwanda Standards Board

Website

https://rsb.gov.rw

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rwanda Standards Board is the government statutory national standards body established under Law No. 50/2013, providing standards development, product and system certification, laboratory testing, metrology, and MSME technical assistance to Rwandan industries, manufacturers, and regulatory counterparts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Standards and Conformity Assessment Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC), Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services (AFALACAE)

Keywords

• Standards development
• Product certification
• Quality testing
• Metrology services
• Conformity assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Kicukiro

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Standards Sales: Sale of national, regional, and international standards documents through the online webstore. Standards range from RWF 3,000 to RWF 150,000.
2. Certification Services: Product certification (S-Mark), system certification (QMS, FSMS, OH&S), and Made in Rwanda logo certification services
3. Quality Testing Services: Laboratory testing services through NQTLD covering microbiology, chemical, and material testing
4. Metrology Services: Calibration and verification services for measuring instruments
5. Training Services: Standards implementation training, certification training, and technical assistance programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rwanda Standards Board develops, adopts, and publishes national, regional, and international standards across sectors and sells these documents through an online webstore. It provides third-party product certification (S-Mark), management system certification (QMS, FSMS, OH&S), certification of persons, laboratory quality testing through the NQTLD, metrology calibration and verification services, Made in Rwanda quality mark certification, and technical assistance for MSMEs through the Zamukana Ubuziranenge program.

Product overview

Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) is a government regulatory body that provides standardization, certification, quality testing, and metrology services. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of products including Standards development and publication, Quality Testing through the National Quality Testing Laboratory Division (NQTLD), Metrology Services, Product Certification (S-Mark), System Certification (QMS, FSMS), Certification of Persons, Made in Rwanda quality mark, the Zamukana Ubuziranenge technical assistance program for MSMEs, Interlaboratory Comparison Scheme, National Codex Committee, and the recently launched RSB Quality Academy. Digital services include an E-Service Portal, Standards Webstore, Certificate Verification system, and Track and Trace System. RSB serves as the WTO/TBT National Enquiry Point for Rwanda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RSB Quality Academy: Training academy established under the KOICA-supported SISIC project for quality standards education.
• S-Mark
• Made in Rwanda
• Zamukana Ubuziranenge (ZU) Program

Products and services

• Standards Published documents establishing specifications and procedures designed to maximize the reliability of materials, products, methods, and services. RSB develops, adopts, and publishes national standards across various sectors, including adopted ISO, ASTM, ARSO, and AFSEC standards.
• Quality Testing Laboratory testing services for product quality verification provided through the National Quality Testing Laboratory Division (NQTLD), covering microbiology, chemical, and material testing to verify compliance with standards.
• Metrology Services Science of measurement including theoretical and practical aspects, provided through the National Metrology Division offering calibration and measurement verification services for measuring instruments.
• Product Certification (S-Mark) Third-party attestation that products meet specified standards through assessment. Certified products bear the S-Mark, indicating compliance with relevant Rwanda standards.
• System Certification Certification of management systems including Quality Management Systems (QMS), Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), and Occupational Health and Safety management systems, accredited by Raad Voor Accreditatie (RvA), Dutch Accreditation Council.
• Certification of Persons Certification of individual competence against established standards, verifying that persons have the required skills and knowledge.
• Made in Rwanda Certification A quality assurance logo and certification program under the Made in Rwanda policy, symbolizing quality assurance for locally manufactured products.
• Zamukana Ubuziranenge (ZU) Program Technical assistance program providing free support to MSMEs and SMEs to help them comply with applicable standards requirements and improve product quality and competitiveness.
• National Codex Committee National body of the Codex Alimentarius Commission responsible for food safety standards and guidelines in Rwanda.
• Interlaboratory Comparison (ILC) Scheme Program that helps laboratories validate testing accuracy by comparing results across participating laboratories. RSB has implemented an inter-laboratory comparison scheme since 2020 covering microbiology, material, and chemical testing.
• RSB Quality Academy Training and capacity building institution established under the KOICA-supported SISIC project to provide standards-related training and education.
• E-Service Portal Online portal for applying for RSB services, managing applications, tracking status, and accessing certification services.
• Standards Webstore Online store for purchasing Rwanda standards, including adopted ISO, ASTM, ARSO, AFSEC standards and Rwanda-origin standards, with prices ranging from RWF 3,000 to RWF 150,000.
• Certificate Verification Online system for verifying the authenticity and validity of certificates issued by RSB, including QR code verification.
• Track and Trace System System for tracking products through the certification process and tracing certified products in the market.
• WTO/TBT National Enquiry Point National enquiry point for WTO Technical Barriers to Trade agreements, providing information on standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures.

Quantifiable outcome

• 61 textile SMEs assisted since 2020
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization (JSMO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2026Signed MOU to strengthen cooperation in metrology, standards development, laboratory testing, conformity assessment, and training. Aims to facilitate bilateral trade by removing technical barriers and enabling mutual recognition of certificates of conformity.
• Rwanda Development Board (RDB)coreOthersRDB is a strategic partner supporting Rwanda's development goals. RSB works with RDB to ensure quality standards align with national development priorities.
• East African Community Quality InfrastructurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership for harmonization of quality standards across East African Community member states. Supports mutual recognition of certifications.
• Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)coreTechnology or IntegrationGerman national metrology institute providing technical assistance for metrology services development and capacity building in Rwanda.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal standards organization. RSB hosted the 2025 ISO Annual Meeting and participates in international standards development.
• Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the establishment of RSB Quality Academy under the SISIC project, providing training infrastructure and capacity building.
• UNDP RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Development Programme partnership for sustainable development through quality infrastructure.
• African Organization for Standardization (ARSO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinental standards organization. RSB participates in African standards harmonization initiatives and adopts ARSO standards.
• Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA)minorOthersEnvironmental regulatory body partnership for standards related to environmental management and sustainability.
• MINAGRIminorOthersMinistry of Agriculture partnership for agricultural standards development and implementation.
• National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB)minorOthersPartnership for export quality standards and certification for agricultural products.
• Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA)minorOthersRegulatory body partnership for market surveillance and consumer protection standards.
• Rwanda Private Sector Federation (RPPA)minorOthersPrivate sector advocacy partnership for standards awareness and adoption among businesses.
• Trademark Africa (TMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting intellectual property and trademark protection initiatives in Rwanda.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO): Global standards organization that hosted its 2025 Annual Meeting at RSB. Functions as the upstream umbrella standards body whose outputs RSB adopts at the national level.
• Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB): Germany's national metrology institute providing technical assistance to RSB. A donor/partner rather than competitor, but a comparable model for national metrology capability.
• African Organization for Standardization (ARSO): Continental standards body of which RSB is a member. Not a direct competitor but a coordinating and harmonization counterpart whose standards RSB adopts into the national framework.

Direct peers

• Ethiopian Standards Agency: Ethiopia's national standards body performing standards development, certification, testing, and metrology. Comparable in mandate though serving a different East African market context.
• Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS): Tanzania's national standards body with identical product/service mix (standards, certification, testing, metrology). EAC counterpart and regional peer for harmonization efforts.
• Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS): Kenya's national standards body, operating an analogous mandate of standards development, certification, testing, and metrology. Most directly comparable African NSB given shared EAC membership and similar service portfolio.
• Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS): Uganda's national standards body performing the same standards, certification, testing, and metrology functions. Comparable in scale, mandate, and East African regional positioning.
• Ghana Standards Authority (GSA): Ghana's national standards body offering parallel standards, certification, testing, and metrology services. African peer operating under a similar statutory mandate.

Broad incumbents

• South African Bureau of Standards (SABS): Larger, more established African national standards body with broader international accreditation footprint. Comparable service portfolio but significantly greater scale and maturity.

Regional players

• Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization (JSMO): Jordan's national standards body that signed a cooperation MoU with RSB in July 2026. A regional peer performing the same mandate in the Middle East and serving as a recent bilateral cooperation benchmark.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rwandastandards
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rwanda-standards-board

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rwanda Standards Board