Q-Boost Strengthens SMEs for Regional and Global Trade
Q-Boost, a new capacity development programme, is empowering small and medium-sized enterprises to raise their product quality. Launched across three African countries and soon expanding to two more, Q-Boost helps businesses build stronger Quality Management Systems, unlocking new opportunities for growth and cross-border trade.
Across Africa, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of national economies. They create jobs, stimulate innovation and contribute to stronger, more competitive markets. Yet many SMEs face a common barrier: their products often struggle to move beyond national borders because buyers in neighbouring countries lack trust in their quality. International certifications such as Quality Management Systems (QMS) under ISO 9001:2015 are widely recognised abroad, but they are rarely required in regional trade. As a result, export-ready businesses frequently remain confined to domestic markets.
To respond to this challenge, the Alliance for Product Quality in Africa project has launched Q-Boost to strengthen product standards and competitiveness across the continent. The programme began in Kenya, Togo and Uganda, and will soon be introduced in Benin and Rwanda. Delivered in collaboration with national business associations, Q-Boost introduces and strengthens QMS within SMEs, helping them to improve efficiency and build the trust needed to trade across borders.
The approach combines cohort-based training with individual coaching by quality experts. Each participating SME identifies at least two pressing quality challenges in its operations and works with trainers to address them. By focusing on practical solutions and measurable improvements, the programme enables businesses to increase productivity, improve competitiveness and prepare to enter both regional and international markets.
For participants, Q-Boost represents more than a training opportunity. It acts as a launchpad for businesses seeking to compete beyond their home markets. By tackling product quality at its root, the programme equips African SMEs to meet international standards while also unlocking opportunities closer to home.
Through Q-Boost, the Alliance for Product Quality in Africa is helping SMEs take a decisive step forward, moving from local resilience to regional integration and eventually to global competitiveness.
