Afreximbank’s African Quality Assurance Centre receives international accreditation from SANAS

Cairo, 02 August 2024:- African Export-Import Bank's (Afreximbank) first African Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), implemented in Ogun State, Nigeria, in partnership with Bureau Veritas (BV) has been awarded the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), one of the key accreditation bodies in Africa responsible for carrying out conformity assessments as mandated under South Africa's Accreditation for Conformity Assessment, Calibration and Good Laboratory Practice Act (Act 19 of 2006).

ISO/IEC 17025 is the recognised international standard for testing and calibration laboratories and sets out requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of laboratories, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of testing and calibration results. The standard enhances the credibility of testing and calibration work by laboratories, by fostering trust among clients and regulatory authorities. Compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 demonstrates a laboratory's commitment to quality, technical proficiency and scientific rigour.

Commenting on the accreditation, Ms. Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director Export Development at Afreximbank said that the accreditation served to validate AQAC's capabilities and expertise and would provide new opportunities to expand the centre's reach.

"By aligning its practices with international standards and best practices, AQAC is well-positioned to attract new clients, foster partnerships with industry stakeholders, and contribute to the advancement of quality assurance practices in Africa," said Ms. Doherty.

"The impact of this accreditation extends beyond the laboratory as it also contributes to the overall advancement of quality assurance practices in Nigeria. By demonstrating compliance with international standards and best practices, AQAC will help in reducing the rejection rates for Nigerian and African exports," she said, mentioning that the Bank has committed up to US$100 million to support the development of new AQACs across the continent, with projects being considered in Benin, Chad, Gabon, Kenya and Tanzania.

Jean-Michel Perret, Managing Director, Bureau Veritas Nigeria said, "We are incredibly proud to have achieved the ISO 17025 accreditation for the African Quality Assurance Centre. This milestone reflects our steadfast commitment to providing the highest standards of testing and inspection services. It also demonstrates our dedication to supporting Nigeria's AgroFood industry in meeting international quality benchmarks, thereby facilitating greater access to global markets for 'Made in Africa' products."

The accreditation by SANAS amplifies AQAC's ability to offer internationally accredited services for food and agri products and paves the way for a more reliable and robust testing environment in Africa.

SANAS is a signatory to the International Accreditation Forum which gives it world-wide recognition as a competent body for carrying out independent evaluation of certification bodies against recognized standards. It is also a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangements, the African Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangements and the SADCA Mutual Recognition Arrangements, for specific scopes.

ENDS

About Afreximbank

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank's total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody's (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, "the Group"). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com

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ABOUT BUREAU VERITAS

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in inspection, certification, and laboratory testing services with a powerful purpose: to shape a world of trust by ensuring responsible progress. With a vision to be the preferred partner for customers' excellence and sustainability, the company innovates to help them navigate change.
Created in 1828, Bureau Veritas' 83,000 employees deliver services in 140 countries. The company's technical experts support customers to address challenges in quality, health and safety, environmental protection, and sustainability.
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The head office for Bureau Veritas Middle East, Caspian & Africa region is based in Dubai, For more information, www.bureauveritas.africa or www. middle-east.bureauveritas.com/

Afreximbank Media Contact:

Vincent Musumba

Manager, Communication and Events (Media Relations)

Email: [email protected]

Bureau Veritas Media Contact:

Selin Dincer Cinar

+905 308 61 59 94

Email: [email protected]

Seseselelo Matlapeng

+27 (0)78 451 5331

Email: [email protected]

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