Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.
Last Published: 7/2/2019

Overview

The Namibia Standards Institution (NSI) administers standards in Namibia.  The NSI is responsible for promoting standardization of products for the safety of consumers and protection of the environment for improved access to global markets.  Namibia has acceded to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Publication of Standards.  For more information on the services of NSI click on the following link: http://www.nsi.com.na/index.php.

Standards

The Namibia Standards Institution (NSI) conducts testing, inspection and certification services in respect of Namibian products and services.

For more details about the NSI, click on: http://www.nsi.com.na/index.php

Testing, inspection and certification

Agricultural products are certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.  There are no mutual recognition agreements with U.S. organizations.  In 2016, Namibia successfully completed the U.S. Department of Agriculture equivalence process for beef and became eligible to export beef to the United States.  
There is no accreditation body in Namibia. The South African National Accreditation body (SANAS: http://www.sanas.co.za) currently provides for Namibia’s accreditation needs.  Laboratories need to get formal recognition that they are competent to perform specific tasks.

Publication of technical regulations

The Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) is a Correspondent Member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and subscribes to the World Trade Organization/Technical Barriers to Trade/TBT Annex 3 Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards.  The NSI has developed standards and regulations, in accordance with the provisions of the Code, based on the WTO principle of transparency. These standards and regulations are pending until implementation of the Standards Act No. 18 of 2005.

Members of the WTO are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify to the WTO proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade. Notify U.S. (www.nist.gov/notifyus) is a free, web-based e-mail registration service that captures and makes available for review and comment key information on draft regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  Users receive customized e-mail alerts when new notifications are added by selected country(ies) and industry sector(s) of interest, and can also request full texts of regulations.  This service and its associated web site are managed and operated by the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point housed within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.  

Contact Information


Namibian Standards Institution (NSI)
Physical Address:
The Forum (Old Sanlam Building)
First Floor Suite 115
11-17 Dr Frans Indongo Street
Windhoek
Namibia 
http://www.nsi.com.na/index.php

Mailing Address:
P.O.Box 26364
Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 386400
Fax: +264 61 386454 
E-mail: query@nsi.com.na

Standards point of contact at Embassy Windhoek:
Economic and Commercial Office
14 Lossen Street, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264-61-295 8500
Fax +264-61-295 8603
Email:  econ_comm_Windhoek@state.gov
 

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