This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
On September 23, 2019, Eddy Njoroge made history by becoming the first African president of the International Standards Organization (ISO) in more than 70 years.
Njoroge's two-term tenure as president began in January 2020 and will end in December 2022, marking a significant milestone in the organization's history.
Under Njoroge's leadership, the ISO's global office will be established in Nairobi, Kenya, during his tenure.
His four-point agenda includes addressing trade imbalances, leveraging standards to drive industry growth, promoting the use of standards in daily life, and enhancing participation of developing countries in standard formulation.
ISO standards play a crucial role in reducing technical barriers to trade, lowering production costs, and enabling local companies to access global markets through economies of scale.
As a board member at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Njoroge aims to facilitate access to standards for developing countries, which has been a challenge in recent years due to non-compliance with European standards.
