The African Commission for Standards & Accreditation (ACSA Africa) is an independent continental authority committed to strengthening quality assurance, accreditation, conformity assessment, institutional governance and professional excellence throughout Africa.
ACSA Africa develops harmonised accreditation frameworks aligned with internationally recognised principles, supporting governments, educational institutions, healthcare organisations, laboratories, certification bodies, financial institutions, industries and development partners in achieving sustainable excellence.
For over a decade, the Commission has worked to promote accountability, transparency, innovation and public confidence by encouraging organisations to implement internationally benchmarked management systems and continuous improvement practices. Our independent assessments give regulators, investors and citizens a credible basis to trust the institutions on which African economies depend.
We exist to ensure that an accreditation issued in Lagos, a certification awarded in Nairobi and a professional designation earned in Cairo all carry the same meaning, the same rigour and the same recognition — across the continent and beyond.
ACSA Africa serves as a continental institution dedicated to promoting quality infrastructure, institutional excellence and trusted conformity assessment systems throughout Africa. Our work extends well beyond issuing certificates — we build the technical, governance and human capacity that makes accreditation meaningful in practice.
We collaborate with governments, regulators, educational institutions, healthcare providers, research organisations, certification bodies and private-sector enterprises to develop stronger institutions capable of competing in regional and international markets. Each engagement combines independent evaluation, technical guidance and structured capacity-building.
Through professional certification programmes, institutional accreditation, technical advisory work and continental training, ACSA supports organisations in improving governance, operational effectiveness, regulatory compliance and stakeholder confidence — the four pillars on which credible institutions are built.
Our commitment is to create a harmonised quality ecosystem where organisations across Africa operate according to internationally accepted principles, while remaining grounded in the continent's unique economic, social and developmental priorities.
Africa's continued economic growth depends on institutions that are trusted, transparent, accountable and internationally competitive. Without credible accreditation, every cross-border transaction, regulatory decision and public-service delivery carries unnecessary risk and cost.
ACSA believes that harmonised accreditation systems strengthen trade, improve public services, encourage investment, support innovation and create confidence among governments, businesses and citizens. A laboratory result accepted in Accra should be trusted in Lusaka; a certified compliance officer trained in Tunis should be recognised in Cape Town.
Our long-term objective is to establish a continental quality infrastructure that enables organisations from every African nation to demonstrate excellence through internationally recognised accreditation and certification programmes — a single framework that respects national context while delivering continental consistency.
A united Africa where every institution operates to world-class standards of integrity, governance and quality — and where African accreditation is internationally trusted.
To advance compliance, accountability and quality across Africa through credible, transparent and independent accreditation, certification and capacity-building programmes.
Our strategy translates the vision of a single African quality framework into clear, measurable areas of work. Each priority guides how we deploy our standards, assessors, partnerships and digital infrastructure.
We strengthen organisational governance, internal controls and management systems through accreditation programmes benchmarked against ISO/IEC 17011, ISO 9001 and other international references — helping African institutions operate with the discipline and credibility expected of world-class bodies.
ACSA works alongside ministries, central banks, sector regulators and oversight authorities to embed consistent quality-assurance frameworks. Our independent assessments give regulators a trusted basis for licensing, supervisory and public-interest decisions.
Through certification programmes for compliance officers, AML specialists, internal auditors, quality managers and assessors, we are building a continental pool of highly skilled professionals whose credentials are recognised across borders and sectors.
We encourage accredited organisations to adopt digital transformation, data-driven assurance and modern quality-management technologies — moving accreditation beyond paperwork into live, evidence-based assurance ecosystems.
ACSA promotes responsible governance that integrates environmental stewardship, social responsibility and long-term economic resilience, aligning accreditation outcomes with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
By harmonising standards and supporting mutual-recognition arrangements, ACSA helps unlock the African Continental Free Trade Area — reducing duplication, lowering compliance costs and enabling accredited organisations to operate seamlessly across African markets.
ACSA's reach is measured not only in numbers but in the institutions, professionals and communities that benefit from credible accreditation across Africa.
The integrity of every accreditation decision depends on impartial governance. ACSA operates under clearly defined principles that separate policy development, technical evaluation, assessment activities and accreditation decision-making.
This structure protects impartiality while ensuring transparency and accountability throughout every stage of the accreditation process. No single individual, body or commercial interest can determine an accreditation outcome on their own.
Independent oversight, technical advisory committees, subject-matter experts and external reviewers collectively ensure that decisions are objective, evidence-based and free from commercial or political influence.
The Board carries ultimate responsibility for strategic leadership, institutional oversight and long-term organisational development. Commissioners are drawn from across the continent and bring expertise in law, finance, public administration, quality infrastructure and academia. They approve policy, ratify standards and safeguard the public-interest mandate of the Commission.
The Council provides expert guidance on accreditation criteria, sector-specific technical requirements and emerging industry practices. It convenes subject-matter experts, regulators and practitioners to keep ACSA standards relevant, evidence-based and aligned with international developments in conformity assessment.
This independent committee reviews assessment findings and determines whether to grant, maintain, suspend or withdraw accreditation. Decisions are made strictly on evidence, separated from assessment teams and commercial functions to preserve impartiality and consistency.
Responsible for safeguarding impartiality, managing conflicts of interest, investigating complaints and overseeing ethical conduct across the Commission, its assessors and accredited bodies. The committee reports directly to the Board to ensure independence.
The Secretariat manages day-to-day administration, programme coordination, stakeholder engagement and regional-office operations. Led by the Secretary General, it translates Board policy into operational delivery across ACSA's continental footprint.
ACSA's executive leadership brings together decades of experience across governance, regulation, conformity assessment, financial-crime compliance, education and international cooperation.
Dr. Okonkwo has over 20 years of experience in institutional governance, higher-education quality assurance and public-sector reform. She provides strategic oversight for ACSA's continental accreditation initiatives and leads engagement with African Union institutions, ministries and multilateral partners.
A chartered quality professional with two decades in conformity assessment, Mr. Moyo oversees ACSA's accreditation programmes for management systems, laboratories, inspection bodies and certification bodies, ensuring assessments meet ISO/IEC 17011 expectations.
Ms. Sow leads ACSA's AML/CFT, sanctions and anti-bribery certification portfolio. She previously advised West African financial-sector regulators on FATF mutual-evaluation responses and risk-based supervision frameworks.
Dr. Bekele directs the development, harmonisation and continuous improvement of ACSA standards. He works closely with national standards bodies and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) to align technical content across the continent.
Adv. Khumalo leads ACSA's legal, regulatory and ethics functions. She manages institutional governance, contractual frameworks with accredited bodies and the legal architecture supporting mutual-recognition arrangements across Africa.
Mr. El-Sayed manages ACSA's relationships with governments, development partners, universities and international standards organisations. He coordinates joint programmes that extend ACSA's reach across North Africa and the Arab-speaking continent.
Every ACSA accreditation follows the same disciplined process, regardless of sector, geography or organisation size. Predictability and rigour are the hallmarks of credible accreditation.
Applicants engage with ACSA to scope the appropriate accreditation programme, clarify eligibility, and understand the standards, evidence requirements and timelines that will apply to their organisation.
A formal application is submitted with corporate, governance and operational documentation. ACSA performs a completeness check and confirms the scope of accreditation to be assessed.
A team of qualified assessors conducts document review, interviews and on-site evaluation against the applicable ACSA standard, gathering objective evidence of conformity.
Independent technical reviewers examine the assessment file to verify methodology, evidence sufficiency and consistency with previous decisions, before recommending an outcome.
The Accreditation Decision Committee — independent of the assessment team — reviews the file and decides whether to grant, defer or decline accreditation based solely on the evidence presented.
Successful applicants are issued an accreditation certificate, listed on the public ACSA register and authorised to use the ACSA accreditation mark within the approved scope.
ACSA conducts surveillance visits, unannounced assessments and performance monitoring throughout the accreditation cycle to confirm that conformity is maintained over time.
At the end of each accreditation cycle, a full reassessment is performed. Continued accreditation requires demonstrated improvement, ongoing competence and continued alignment with current standards.
Our regional offices bring ACSA closer to applicants, regulators and accredited bodies — combining continental consistency with regional understanding.
Coverage: AU liaison, continental coordination. The office supports applicants with pre-assessment guidance, hosts regional assessor pools and coordinates with national regulators on accreditation-related matters.
Coverage: ECOWAS member states. The office supports applicants with pre-assessment guidance, hosts regional assessor pools and coordinates with national regulators on accreditation-related matters.
Coverage: EAC, IGAD member states. The office supports applicants with pre-assessment guidance, hosts regional assessor pools and coordinates with national regulators on accreditation-related matters.
Coverage: Arab Maghreb and Nile region. The office supports applicants with pre-assessment guidance, hosts regional assessor pools and coordinates with national regulators on accreditation-related matters.
Coverage: ECCAS member states. The office supports applicants with pre-assessment guidance, hosts regional assessor pools and coordinates with national regulators on accreditation-related matters.
Documented criteria, public registers and published decisions ensure every stakeholder can understand how accreditation is earned and maintained.
Assessment, technical review and accreditation decisions are structurally separated to eliminate commercial or political influence.
A continental pool of trained, evaluated and continuously monitored assessors brings sector expertise to every engagement.
Our secure online platform manages applications, evidence, assessments and certificates end-to-end, with verifiable digital credentials.
ACSA standards reference ISO/IEC, FATF, UNCAC, OECD and AU instruments to ensure global comparability.
Accredited bodies benefit from cross-border recognition supported by mutual-recognition arrangements with African peers.
Surveillance, peer review and stakeholder feedback feed back into standards and processes, raising the bar over time.
We work openly with regulators, industry, academia and civil society — accreditation is a shared public-interest infrastructure.
No accreditation authority operates in isolation. ACSA's credibility is reinforced through deep cooperation with public, academic, professional and international partners.
Ministries of finance, justice, education, health and trade collaborate with ACSA on regulatory frameworks, capacity-building and supervisory tools.
Continental universities and research institutes co-develop standards, train assessors and contribute to applied research on African quality infrastructure.
Chartered associations of accountants, auditors, compliance officers and risk managers align their certifications with ACSA designations.
Multilateral and bilateral partners support ACSA programmes that strengthen institutions, improve governance and expand intra-African trade.
Banking, telecoms, healthcare, energy and education regulators rely on ACSA accreditation to inform licensing and oversight decisions.
ACSA engages with ISO, IAF, ILAC, ARSO and other global organisations to ensure continental practice remains internationally credible.
ACSA Africa is established as an independent continental authority to address the fragmentation of quality infrastructure across African economies.
Accreditation programmes extend to all five African regions, supported by the creation of regional advisory groups and the first cohort of African assessors.
Launch of ACSA's secure online accreditation platform — moving applications, assessments and certificates onto a single auditable digital backbone.
Permanent regional offices open across West, East, Southern, North and Central Africa to bring assessment capability closer to applicants.
Continental professional certifications for compliance, AML, internal audit and quality management are introduced, with thousands of professionals enrolling in the first two years.
ACSA consolidates standards, recognition arrangements and digital infrastructure into a single Pan-African Quality Framework supporting AfCFTA implementation.
Every institution deserves access to credible, transparent and internationally respected accreditation systems. The credibility of African markets, regulators and public services depends on the strength of the quality infrastructure that underpins them.
ACSA Africa remains committed to strengthening quality infrastructure, advancing institutional excellence, supporting innovation and building public confidence across every sector of African society — from finance and healthcare to education, energy and the public sector.
Through collaboration, technical expertise and continuous improvement, we are helping shape a future where African organisations compete globally while serving their communities with integrity, professionalism and excellence.
