Tanzania is stepping up efforts to ensure accuracy in industrial and commercial measurements, with the Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) strengthening inspections of weighing scales, fuel pumps and other measuring equipment to protect consumers and promote fair competition.
The inspections are intended to ensure that consumers get the quantities they pay for while manufacturers and traders receive fair value for their products, particularly as the country expands industrial production and supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
WMA Chief Executive Officer Alban Kihulla said the agency was working with industries and entrepreneurs to ensure that measuring instruments used in production and commercial transactions were regularly inspected and verified in accordance with the Weights and Measures Act, Cap 340.
He was speaking during the launch of the 2025 Sustainable Industrial Development Policy and the revised Small and Medium Enterprises Development Policy in Dodoma on November 4, 2026.
Mr Kihulla said the agency would strengthen oversight of large industrial weighing scales used to measure raw materials, as well as fuel measuring equipment and petrol pumps, to ensure that recorded quantities corresponded with the actual amounts supplied.
Accurate measurements, he said, were essential in preventing losses arising from discrepancies in commercial transactions and ensuring that businesses operated on a level playing field.
WMA will also continue inspecting pre-packaged products to establish whether the weights and volumes indicated on their packaging match the actual contents.
The inspections will further cover length measurements and other instruments used in commercial activities to ensure compliance with legal standards.
For small and medium-sized businesses, Mr Kihulla said WMA had intensified efforts to educate entrepreneurs on the importance of using legally verified weighing scales and other measuring equipment.
He said inaccurate measurements could result in financial losses for either buyers or sellers, while also undermining trust between businesses and their customers.
The issue is particularly important for small traders and entrepreneurs, whose earnings can be directly affected by inaccuracies in weighing and measuring products.
Mr Kihulla said reliable measurement systems were necessary to protect consumers, safeguard traders' interests and promote fair competition in the marketplace.
Beyond inspections, WMA is also seeking to strengthen local capacity to manufacture measuring equipment, reducing reliance on imported products.
Mr Kihulla said the agency would continue working with the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) and the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) to help young people use their technical skills to design and manufacture measuring instruments locally.
The initiative is expected to create opportunities for young innovators and local manufacturers while supporting the development of domestic industrial capabilities.
As Tanzania seeks to expand its manufacturing sector and strengthen the contribution of SMEs to the economy, effective measurement standards will be important in ensuring that industrial growth also delivers fairer trading conditions, reliable products and stronger consumer protection.