The 18th General Assembly of the Inter-African Metrology System (AFRIMETS) convened in Ghana’s capital this July, drawing national metrology organizations from across Africa to assess progress and chart the future of measurement standards on the continent.
Hosted at the Palm Royal Beach Hotel from July 21 to 25, 2025, the assembly opened under the stewardship of Ghana’s Minister of Trade, Agri-Food and Industry, Mrs Elisabeth Ofosu-Adjare.
Her call for a “new generation of quality infrastructure” resonated with delegates, urging active participation to strengthen the continent’s metrological framework.
Mr Alex Nii Oto Dodoo, Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), delivered a warm welcome, highlighting Ghana’s pivotal role as host and facilitator of the event.
Meanwhile, AFRIMETS President Henri Rotisch from Kenya underscored the meeting’s significance as a platform for African nations to share experiences and accelerate regional cooperation in metrology.
A prominent feature of the assembly was the strong representation from ECOWAS Metrology Community (ECOMET), led by its president, Gabriel Ahissou of Benin.
Supported by the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) and the ECOWAS Commission, more than twenty delegates from ECOWAS countries attended either in person or virtually. Countries present included Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Senegal, as well as Guinea, Togo, and Sierra Leone joining online.
Mr Lassane Kaboré, Director of Industry at the ECOWAS Commission, also participated, reinforcing the region’s commitment to harmonizing measurement standards to boost industrial growth and trade.
The agenda included a visit to the Ghana Standards Authority’s laboratories and celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Meter Convention—a milestone underscoring the global importance of unified measurement standards.
Special Envoy Abdel Madjid Adelakoun, Vice-President of CT-Awareness at ECOMET/ECOWAS, expressed optimism about the assembly’s outcomes, emphasizing how regional collaboration will “drive quality infrastructure and support sustainable development across West Africa.”
As AFRIMETS continues its work, this gathering in Accra highlights Africa’s determination to elevate metrology as a cornerstone of economic integration, industrial competitiveness, and innovation.
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