Monrovia, Sept. 22, 2025 – The Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) has stepped up its role in shaping regional trade and consumer protection by engaging key national stakeholders in a critical consultative review of the African Regional Standardization Organization (ARSO) and ECOWAS final draft standards.
The one-day technical review session, held Friday, September 19, 2025, at the Ministry of Agriculture conference room in Monrovia, drew together government regulators, private sector players, consumer advocates, academics, and research institutions.
The meeting served as a platform to sharpen Liberia’s position on regional standards that will soon be adopted across West Africa and beyond.
The African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are pushing for harmonized standards to boost regional integration, guarantee the quality of goods and services, and protect consumers.
Liberia’s active participation, through LiSA, signals a stronger determination to modernize its standards regime and ensure the country is not left behind in the competitive global marketplace.LordErnest P. Benjamin, Head of LiSA’s Standards and Quality Assurance Department, disclosed that 20 final draft standards were circulated for review, including 15 African Standards on Agrochemicals and five ECOSHAM standards proposed for regional adoption.
“The technical review is not just about compliance,” Benjamin noted. “It is about ownership. The inputs we gather from Liberian stakeholders ensure these standards reflect our reality, protect our people, and strengthen our economy. This is why the commenting period—ending September 23 for ARSO drafts and October 10 for ECOSHAM—must be used effectively.”
In his keynote remarks, LiSA Director General Stephen Y. Mambu stressed that inclusivity and consensus are at the heart of standardization.“Standards are not developed in isolation. They are developed by people, for people. Every voice matters in this process. Today’s meeting is the beginning of a journey to strengthen Liberia’s standardization programs and align them with regional and international best practices,” Mambu stated.
At the end of the review, all contributions and recommendations from Liberian stakeholders were consolidated.
These will now shape Liberia’s official position for submission to ARSO and ECOWAS technical committees.Stakeholders hailed the process as a critical step toward ensuring that Liberia’s economy benefits fully from regional trade opportunities while safeguarding consumer health and safety.
With increasing emphasis on quality, competitiveness, and consumer protection, LiSA pledged to continue engaging national actors and regional partners.
The Authority said Liberia’s active role in ARSO and ECOWAS frameworks will help build confidence in local products, open regional markets, and reinforce the country’s development agenda.
About the Author
