BOBS moves to fast-track standards for local manufacturers
Lewanika Timothy | Wednesday August 26, 2026 06:00
industrialisation priorities. It has been revealed that the standards cover blue and processed hides and skins from bovine animals, sheep, goats and buffalo, as well as finished leather products such as belts and bags. Answering a question in Parliament recently, Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Tiroeaone Ntsima, said BOBS was also developing a wood sawdust standard specification following a request from a local timber manufacturing and processing company. It intends to use the sawdust, primarily for poultry bedding, and requires the product to be certified against a recognised standard. “The company indicated that it intends to supply customers who require the product to be certified against a recognised standard. The development of this standard will follow the fast-tracked method and will take approximately three months,” Ntsima said. The development of industry-specific standards comes as Botswana seeks to expand local manufacturing and extract greater value from its agricultural and natural resources.
Leather, in particular, has long been identified as a potential value-addition industry, given Botswana's sizeable livestock sector. However, much of the country's hides and skins have historically generated limited local value, while the domestic leather processing and manufacturing industry remains relatively small. Ntsima told Members of Parliament (MPs) that BOBS was implementing three key strategic initiatives to assist emerging local manufacturers. He said the first involved standards development and awareness, with the state-owned bureau focusing on demand-driven standards aligned with local manufacturing needs and government priorities.
BOBS has also introduced streamlined certification pathways to complement its product certification scheme, including the establishment of a batch certification scheme. According to Ntsima, the initiative simplifies certification processes, reduces turnaround times and provides manufacturers with a faster route to market. He added that a specialised Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Certification Framework was under formulation as part of the Small and Medium Enterprises Support Framework, aimed at accelerating compliance and lowering certification costs.
“The framework seeks to cultivate an environment that empowers emerging local manufacturers and MSMEs, enabling them to expand their market reach and scale their businesses sustainably,” he added. The minister was responding to a question from Tswapong South MP, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, who had asked whether the government was aware of challenges faced by emerging local manufacturers in accessing BOBS services and whether standards existed for sawdust and leather products. Gobotswang’s enquiry places renewed focus on the role of standards in Botswana's broader industrialisation agenda. For smaller manufacturers, certification can often be both a compliance requirement and a barrier to market entry, particularly where the cost and time involved in meeting formal standards outweigh the resources available to small businesses.