The Uganda National Bureau of Standards is building a national Halal certification ecosystem with continental ambitions. For an Italian company looking at Africa, or already exporting to Islamic markets, this move redraws trade routes and raises the competitive bar. Here is what is happening and why it is worth keeping an eye on.
As reported by HalalFocus on 26 August 2026, citing UG Diplomat, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is accelerating the construction of a globally recognised national Halal certification ecosystem. The stated aim is to position the country as a Halal hub not only for East Africa but for the entire African continent.
This is not an isolated initiative. In recent years, several African countries with significant Muslim populations — or with ambitions to export to the Islamic markets of the Gulf and South-East Asia — have been investing in their own Halal certification infrastructure. Uganda fits into this trend with an explicit strategy: attract investment, accredit local operators and become the node through which the Halal food supply chain of the whole area passes.
At first sight, Uganda may seem a market far from the priorities of an Italian food business. In reality, there are at least three reasons why this development deserves attention.
A country deciding to certify its own products as Halal does not mean that certification is automatically accepted everywhere. The international Halal system works through mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) between certification bodies and government authorities. A hub like the one Uganda wants to build will only have real value if its national body obtains formal recognition from the main importing countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia.
For an Italian company, this detail is crucial. Halal certification is not a generic stamp: each destination country has its own list of recognised bodies. Exporting to Saudi Arabia, for example, requires certification issued by a body accepted by SASO and SFDA. Exporting to Malaysia requires JAKIM recognition. Exporting to Indonesia requires BPJPH recognition.
HQC Italia is recognised in more than 50 Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia (SASO and SFDA), the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf countries (GAC and EIAC), Malaysia (JAKIM), Indonesia (MUI and BPJPH), Singapore (MUIS) and Thailand (CICOT). This means a company certified by HQC can access the markets that matter without having to duplicate procedures with different bodies for each destination.
If your company exports, or intends to export, to African markets with a significant Muslim component, or works with distributors operating on a regional scale in East Africa, now is the time for a structured check of your position. In practice:
Uganda's move is not an isolated case. It is part of a broader trend: African countries with sizeable Muslim populations are building their own Halal infrastructure to attract investment, improve exports to the Gulf and meet domestic demand. For Italian companies, this means African markets are becoming fully fledged Halal markets, with precise and verifiable requirements.
Those who equip themselves today — with solid certification issued by a body recognised in the main Islamic countries — have a real competitive advantage over those who wait for the requirements to become mandatory before starting the process.
HQC Italia has been operating since 1983 and provides a free quote within 24 hours. If you are looking at African and Islamic Halal markets, or still need to obtain your certification, the first step is to request a no-obligation quote.
Tell us about your product and your target markets: the quote is free and arrives within 24 hours.