By Amos Harris
The Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) officially joined the global observance of World Quality Day on Friday, with Director General Stephen Y. Mambu reaffirming the nation’s commitment to strengthening its national quality infrastructure and promoting fair trade.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) press briefing on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Director Mambu highlighted LiSA’s dedication to standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment, aligning its work with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
The commemoration, held at LiSA headquarters in Monrovia, was part of a broader national awareness campaign to emphasize the agency’s mandate, functions, and service deliverables under the Liberia Standards Act.
“Today’s celebration underscores our collective effort to enhance Liberia’s competitiveness, protect consumers, and ensure quality in all sectors of the economy,” Director General Mambu stated in his address.
As part of its ongoing reforms, LiSA’s main facility is undergoing a major rehabilitation and upgrade into a modern quality infrastructure complex. The project, nearing completion, is funded by the European Union (EU) through the Liberia Food Safety Initiative (LFSI) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
According to Mambu, the upgraded facility is set to be officially launched soon by the Government of Liberia, serving as a center of excellence for standards development, testing, and certification.
To strengthen its technical frameworks, three LiSA council members—including Hon. Magdalene Dagoseh (Minister of Commerce and Industry), Mr. Natty Davis (President of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce), and Mr. Stephen Y. Mambu (LiSA Director General)—recently visited the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).
This visit culminated in the ratification of a technical Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between GSA and LiSA, and the signing of a capacity development contract between GSA and UNIDO. Under this agreement, more than 17 LiSA management and technical staff will undergo specialized training and study tours in Ghana between November 2025 and January 2026 in key areas such as standardization, testing, inspection, and certification.
“These capacity-building initiatives are designed to enhance LiSA’s technical competence and strengthen its service delivery across sectors,” Mambu noted.
Supported by the Cassava Transformation Project (CASTRAP), LiSA has also been developing new institutional policies, strategic frameworks, and capacity development plans aimed at improving efficiency and transparency.
“The role of LiSA as Liberia’s national standardization body is to provide conformity assessment services across all sectors,” Mambu emphasized, stressing that collaboration with ministries, agencies, the private sector, and development partners remains essential.
LiSA is now a recognized member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), granting it access to global standards and technical resources. Currently, LiSA has made available 215 national standards (LS) covering various categories, including electrotechnical products, management systems, and food and agriculture products.
To promote transparency and fairness in trade, LiSA has launched a nationwide verification exercise for all measuring and weighing devices used in commerce, including those for agricultural commodities, fuel pumps, and industrial scales. Mambu disclosed that LiSA’s Weights and Measures Department will conduct field outreach programs to ensure compliance and calibration accuracy. Furthermore, starting at the end of November 2025, all contractors—foreign or local—offering calibration services must be licensed by LiSA.
LiSA is also set to roll out a public awareness campaign in collaboration with the media, civil society organizations, and consumer protection groups to educate the public on the importance of standards in ensuring quality and safety.
Mambu concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to transforming LiSA into a world-class standards institution, fully equipped to support Liberia’s industrial growth and regional trade integration.