The Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) has continued to strengthen fairness, accuracy and confidence in trade through remarkable achievements recorded during the First Quarter of 2026.
During the quarter under review, ZMA successfully verified 12,719 measuring instruments countrywide against a target of 15,261, achieving an impressive 83% performance rate. This included the verification of 8,759 petroleum dispensing instruments across the country, demonstrating increased regulatory coverage and operational efficiency.
The Agency also conducted extensive inspections across manufacturing facilities, retail outlets and imported products, recording high compliance levels:
โ๏ธ 94.2% compliance for locally manufactured pre-packaged products
โ๏ธ 96.3% compliance for imported pre-packaged products
โ๏ธ 93.5% compliance for measuring instruments
โ๏ธ 100% compliance for imported measuring instruments
As part of its commitment to consumer protection and fair trade, ZMA resolved all 12 consumer complaints received during the quarter and took enforcement action against six non-compliant entities.
A major milestone achieved during the quarter was the successful onboarding of Legal Metrology Services onto the Government Service Bus on 24th February 2026, enhancing accessibility, transparency and efficiency in service delivery.
Further, ZMA successfully operationalised the Mutual Recognition Framework Agreement (MRFA) with the Tanzania Weights and Measures Agency to facilitate smoother transportation and verification of petroleum products between Zambia and Tanzania.
In strengthening Zambiaโs National Quality Infrastructure, the Agency received international accreditation for its Electricity Laboratory under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 by the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS). This achievement brings the total number of internationally accredited laboratories under ZMA to six.
Additionally, the Agency approved four applications for type approval of new measuring instrument models in line with international OIML standards, reinforcing confidence in measurements used in trade and industry.
As the grain marketing season begins, ZMA has announced intensified verification and inspection of measuring instruments used by grain buyers to ensure farmers receive fair and accurate measurements for their produce.
The Agency also announced that the Zambia Media Awards will now be held annually in recognition of the mediaโs vital role in promoting public awareness and accountability.
ZMA further reminded the public that Zambia will commemorate the 2026 UNESCO World Metrology Day on 20th May 2026 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre under the theme:
โ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐: ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด.โ
#ZMA #BuildingConfidenceInMeasurement #WorldMetrologyDay2026 #FairTrade #ConsumerProtection #QualityInfrastructure #Metrology
