The Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA) is one of Rwanda’s relatively new institutions. Although it shares an acronym with the conservation agriculture institute based in Bugesera, this national authority plays a distinct and vital role: ensuring product quality, safeguarding consumer rights, and promoting fair competition in the market. In an interview with The New Times, Antoinette Mbabazi, the Acting Director General, explains how RICA enforces standards and regulations, referred to as technical regulations in the context of conformity assessment under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). She also highlights the implementation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, efforts to combat substandard goods, collaboration with the private sector, and how the authority supports Rwandan businesses in meeting both national and international compliance requirements. Mbabazi further outlines RICA’s mandate, key achievements, ongoing challenges, and future plans, offering insight into Rwanda’s broader vision for a safe, competitive, and consumer-friendly market. Below are excerpts; Q. To clarify, what is RICA’s role, and how does it differ from the education institute in Bugesera? RICA, the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority, is a regulatory body under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. It operates under a three-fold mandate: enforcement of standards and regulations, consumer rights protection, and promotion of fair competition. The first mandate is the enforcement of quality standards and regulations. RICA oversees the compliance of products and services within the scope defined by the law establishing the institution. This includes categories such as plant and animal products, construction materials, electrical and electronic goods, textiles, leather products, and others – excluding processed foods and pharmaceuticals, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). The key distinction between RICA and the FDA lies in the specific areas of quality standards and regulation each institution covers. The second mandate is consumer protection. While many assume that all regulators handle this, that is not always the case. Although enforcing standards indirectly protects consumers by ensuring safety and quality, RICA’s role goes further. Consumer protection also encompasses the right to information, freedom of choice, fair treatment by traders, and access to redress mechanisms in cases of rights violations, as outlined by law. This mandate focuses on the relationship between consumers and traders, ensuring fairness and the protection of consumer rights. The third mandate is the enforcement of fair competition. Under the Competition and Consumer Protection Law, RICA monitors and addresses anti-competitive practices such as cartels and abuse of market dominance. Fair competition not only benefits businesses by promoting a level playing field but also protects consumers by ensuring choice, which enhances their bargaining power and contributes to a healthier market environment. To implement these mandates, RICA develops regulations, registers facilities, certifies personnel and specialised products or vehicles, and licenses business operators. It conducts inspections at various levels – including import and export points, production sites such as factories, farms, slaughterhouses, and milk collection centers, as well as on the market – to ensure compliance with quality standards and regulations. Enforcement is a continuous process that includes regulation development, awareness campaigns, training, inspections, certification, and, when necessary, sanctions for non-compliance. Q: How do RICA responsibilities differ from those of the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority and Rwanda Standards Board? RICA oversees quality and compliance for all products except food processed foods, and drugs. The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority handles these specific areas. Essentially, the difference lies in the scope of responsibility: RICA covers general goods and services, while the FDA focuses exclusively on processed food and medical products. It is important to note that while both RICA and the FDA are regulatory bodies mandated to enforce compliance with quality standards and technical regulations, the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) is responsible for providing services that support businesses in meeting those standards. In simple terms RSB is a service provision body while RICA and Rwanda FDA are regulatory bodies under the national quality Infrastructure. Q: What specific measures is Rwanda implementing to enforce compliance with national and international standards? We have several measures and strategies in place. First, we develop regulations tailored to specific sectors and products. For example, in the food sector – we register facilities, assess the competence of personnel, and license operators. Registration ensures that facilities meet regulatory requirements, while licensing confirms that operators comply with established conditions. Beyond registration and licensing, we conduct routine inspections to monitor compliance. These include production oversight, market surveillance, and import/export control. ALSO READ: RICA introduces enhanced business services on IremboGov platform Imported products must meet regulatory standards and, regardless of whether an import permit is required, are subject to quality inspection upon arrival. We also conduct awareness and training programmes. While many businesses are aware of the regulations, they often struggle with compliance due to financial constraints – largely because banks tend to view them as high-risk clients. To address this, we have recently started convening businesses and financial institutions to discuss compliance requirements and risk mitigation. This helps banks and insurers better understand the actual risks and design financial products tailored to compliant businesses. Consumer engagement is another key strategy. By educating consumers about their rights and encouraging them to demand compliant products, we indirectly promote enforcement. When consumers reject substandard goods, businesses are motivated to comply with the law. Q: What drives the presence of substandard or counterfeit products in the local market, and how is RICA addressing this challenge? Substandard products are often driven by unethical financial motives, lack of awareness, or capacity constraints within the private sector. Some businesses prioritise short-term profits over compliance, producing goods that fail to meet established standards. Others lack the technical or financial capacity to fully comply. RICA addresses these issues through regulatory enforcement, inspections, and targeted support to businesses – particularly via capacity-building programmes. These initiatives aim to enhance sector- and product-specific competence and strengthen internal quality assurance systems within enterprises. Another key initiative to improve compliance is the implementation of private inspection schemes. So far, RICA has established private seed and meat inspection schemes. ALSO READ: Meat safety 80 abattoirs shut down gov’t to deploy private inspectors These programmes help extend our oversight without overstretching RICA’s resources, while also creating business opportunities in the private sector, aligning with the government’s goal of a private-sector-led economy. Additionally, we regularly review and update competition and consumer protection laws and policies to reflect evolving market dynamics, such as those introduced by e-commerce platforms, which present new regulatory challenges. ALSO READ: How Rwanda’s new bill seeks to protect e-commerce buyers By modernising regulations and policies, we can more effectively prevent substandard products from reaching consumers and better safeguard their rights. Q: What risks do substandard products pose to consumers, and how do they impact fair competition for compliant businesses? Substandard products compromise product quality, which ultimately compromises consumer safety and deprives consumer value for money. Consumers may suffer health risks, financial losses, or unsatisfactory experiences. For compliant businesses, these unfair practices create a distorted market where ethical companies struggle to compete, as their costs include ensuring safety and quality. Without fair competition, market choice diminishes, and consumer rights to safe, quality, and fairly priced products are undermined. ALSO READ: Government tables bill to prevent market domination from mergers Q: Could you briefly outline RICA’s mission and its role in Rwanda’s vision for consumer protection and market regulation? Our mission is to serve society by providing inspection services and promoting trade through evidence-based decision-making and professional judgment. This ensures sustainable business development while protecting consumer rights, animal health, and plant health. We align our priorities with national development strategies like NST2, focusing on sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and construction. By developing professional skills among business operators and strengthening their internal quality controls, we aim for long-term sustainable compliance and competitiveness. ALSO READ: Inside RICA’s first-ever conservation agriculture symposium stakeholders shaping a sustainable future Q: Since its establishment, what key milestones has RICA achieved in strengthening consumer confidence and market integrity? We have successfully established private inspection schemes, including seed and meat inspections, which extend our regulatory reach while creating business opportunities. In addition, we have developed technical regulations that are context-specific yet benchmarked against international standards, particularly to facilitate safe trade in sectors such as meat. We have also reviewed and modernised competition and consumer protection policies, with a new bill currently in the pipeline. This update takes into account evolving market dynamics, including the rise of e-commerce. Our consumer awareness campaigns have proven effective, as evidenced by increasing public feedback. Consumers are becoming more informed about their rights and are actively engaging with RICA. ALSO READ: RDB probes into poor service claims at Chateau Le Marara hotel Collaboration with other institutions, such as the Rwanda National Police and the Rwanda Investigation Bureau – has further strengthened compliance and market oversight, particularly in the regulation of used electronics. In terms of improving market integrity, we have created a more conducive environment for exports. RICA plays a key role in securing international market access by ensuring that Rwandan products meet international obligations and stringent requirements from markets such as the EU, UK, and China. Furthermore, we continue to pursue compliance for additional export destinations, including India and South Africa, to further expand opportunities for Rwandan businesses. ALSO READ: RICA warns against using paper bags for meat packaging Q: What are RICA’s biggest challenges in monitoring markets and enforcing standards, and how are you addressing them? Resource limitations remain one of our most significant challenges, as is the case for many institutions. These include constraints related to staffing, infrastructure, and testing capacity. For instance, our laboratories do not yet have the full capability to conduct all types of tests locally, which occasionally requires sending samples abroad, to countries like Germany – to obtain the necessary results. This process is both costly and time-consuming. However, we view this not just as a challenge, but also as an opportunity. The current limitations highlight the need to expand and strengthen our domestic laboratory infrastructure, opening the door for both public and private investment. Our policy framework allows the establishment of private laboratories, and we strongly encourage this. A robust mix of public and private testing facilities would ensure wider coverage, faster turnaround times, and reduced costs. At the same time, ongoing government reforms to the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) are systematically addressing these challenges, focusing on expanding capabilities and enhancing efficiency across the board. Financial constraints in the private sector also pose a challenge, as some businesses struggle to meet compliance requirements due to associated costs. To address this, we work with banks and financial institutions to facilitate credit solutions that support businesses in achieving compliance. Lastly, we recognise that enforcement alone is not enough to ensure full compliance. Active consumer participation is essential. Educated and engaged consumers help drive compliance by demanding quality products and services, thereby discouraging non-compliance and reinforcing the culture of standards we aim to build. Q: How is RICA collaborating with government agencies, the private sector, and regional bodies to strengthen consumer protection enforcement? RICA works closely with other regulatory bodies, government institutions, development partners, research institutions, academia, and private sector actors. We collaborate with various development partners to fulfill our mandate through several projects. For example, in implementing the Young Professionals Capacity Building Programme – aimed at strengthening sector-specific competencies, RICA is currently working with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and TradeMark Africa. Similar programmes have previously been implemented in partnership with USAID and ENABEL. Another key initiative is the Voluntary Third-Party Assurance (vTPA) programme, implemented in collaboration with the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF). This project supports the national quality infrastructure by promoting risk-based inspections and fostering stronger collaboration between public and private conformity assessment bodies. The goal is to enhance compliance in a more efficient and affordable manner, while maximising benefits for the private sector. In terms of cross-border trade and exports, RICA aligns national regulations with regional, continental, and international standards to help traders meet destination market requirements. This is achieved through awareness creation, inspection, and certification for products that demonstrate compliance with those standards. Through partnerships, training, awareness campaigns, and engagement with financial institutions, RICA continues to ensure that compliance is both achievable and fairly enforced across the market. Q: What does the future of consumer protection and market regulation in Rwanda look like, and what are RICA’s key priorities for the coming years? The future focus for RICA involves strengthening legal and institutional frameworks to respond to evolving market dynamics. Key priorities include introducing more private inspection schemes, decentralising business regulatory and consumer protection services, enhancing workforce capacity, and expanding access to local laboratory testing. We are committed to building competencies among business operators by strengthening internal quality assurance systems to support the transition from informal to formal, professional enterprises. Improving access to research services through closer collaboration with public and private research institutions is also a priority. Raising awareness of competition and consumer protection laws among legal practitioners is essential to ensure they can competently advise businesses and handle related cases. To extend our reach to the grassroots level, we work with district authorities to secure platforms during community events such as open security meetings and open days, where we share updates on our work and compliance status. We also disseminate awareness messages in markets and bus parks to educate businesses and consumers about their rights and responsibilities, encouraging compliance. These initiatives aim to create a conducive business environment, promote sustainable development, reduce losses from non-compliance, and enhance competitiveness for better consumer protection and increased exports. RICA will continue expanding private sector participation, engaging more development partners, raising compliance awareness, and collaborating with development agencies to build a skilled, informed, and compliant business ecosystem. Q: Regarding export standards, how does RICA support Rwandan businesses in meeting international requirements? For exports, RICA ensures that products meet the regulatory requirements of destination markets. Businesses must understand specific market demands to successfully access these markets. Therefore, all exporters are required to familiarise themselves with these requirements and ensure their products comply throughout the production process. Risk-based inspections are conducted, recognising that 100 per cent inspection is not practical. Non-compliance triggers root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent recurrence. This approach promotes continuous improvement and aligns local production with global standards.
