Bamburi Cement CEO Geoffrey Ndugwa visits KEBS to discuss quality standards collaboration

Bamburi Cement PLC CEO Geoffrey Ndugwa held a courtesy meeting with Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Esther Ngari on June 16, 2026, in Nairobi. The two organisations said the engagement focused on strengthening cooperation on product quality standards and tackling substandard construction materials in the market.

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Bamburi Cement PLC Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Ndugwa on June 16, 2026, paid a courtesy visit to the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) head office in Nairobi for an introductory meeting with KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari. In a media statement, the company said the meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the two organisations on quality assurance and construction material standards.

According to the statement, the engagement centred on familiarisation following Ndugwa’s appointment and “strengthening the long-standing relationship” between Bamburi Cement and the national standards body. The company said both leaders expressed a commitment to safeguarding consumer trust, improving product integrity and supporting sustainable building practices as the built environment sector evolves.

The visit comes as the construction sector remains sensitive to the availability and use of certified materials, with quality compliance directly affecting public safety, the durability of infrastructure projects and the competitiveness of local manufacturers. Industry players rely on KEBS for standards setting, audits and market surveillance, while manufacturers depend on consistent enforcement to curb unfair competition from substandard products.

A key item discussed, Bamburi said, was the shared objective of ensuring high-quality construction materials and addressing “the challenges of substandard products in the regional retail market.”

During the visit, Ndugwa said Bamburi’s approach to standards is driven by compliance and internal controls. “Maintaining strict conformity to national quality standards is not just a regulatory obligation for Bamburi Cement; it is the cornerstone of our corporate DNA,” Geoffrey Ndugwa, Chief Executive Officer of Bamburi Cement PLC, said in the statement. He added: “We deeply appreciate KEBS’ unrelenting commitment to market surveillance, robust auditing, and manufacturing facility assessments.”

Ndugwa also linked enforcement and collaboration to public safety and infrastructure durability, saying: “Positive collaborations like this ensure that the Kenyan public is protected against structural hazards while securing the longevity of our country's critical infrastructure projects.”

For KEBS, Ngari said direct engagement with manufacturers supports compliance and industrial competitiveness. “Continuous, direct engagement with our primary industry players is key to helping local enterprises meet regulatory criteria seamlessly while scaling up industrial competitiveness,” Esther Ngari, Managing Director of KEBS, said.

She added that KEBS would continue supporting industry through standards and technical capacity. “KEBS remains fully dedicated to providing the necessary quality infrastructure, technical expertise, and standardized frameworks that foster industrial growth, environmental sustainability, and consumer protection across the board,” Ngari said.

Market watchers view such engagements as part of broader efforts to reinforce product certification and enforcement in building materials, a sector where reputational risk and liability can be significant for manufacturers and developers. Tighter coordination between regulators and major producers can also influence compliance costs, procurement decisions and the adoption of new materials, particularly as sustainability requirements become more prominent in construction.

In their next steps, Bamburi said the two organisations would maintain open communication channels, collaborate on consumer safety awareness and participate in technical committees focused on “future-proof eco-materials.”

Bamburi Cement PLC is a member of the Amsons Group, which the company described as a privately owned Pan-African conglomerate established in 2000 in Tanzania with operations across multiple sectors and countries, including Kenya.