Samuel Ndayiragije Appointed to Lead Standards Agency After President’s Corruption Accusations Against Predecessor

President Evariste Ndayishimiye has appointed Samuel Ndayiragije as the new chairman of Burundi’s Bureau of Standards and Quality Control (BBN) after he accused the former chairman of failing to fulfill his duties and fostering a culture of corruption within the agency.

The appointment, made public through a presidential decree issued Tuesday, comes less than a year after Jérémie Ngenzahayo assumed the role in May 2024. The decree did not specify whether Ngenzahayo was dismissed or voluntarily stepped down, fueling speculation over possible fallout between the outgoing chairman and the presidency.

The move follows sharp public criticism by President Ndayishimiye, who recently accused the standards agency of neglecting its mission and actively blocking efforts by local entrepreneurs to get their products certified for export.

“Just think about young people who come up with development projects,” the president said in a national address on the World Labor Day, referencing a recent case involving a young Burundian entrepreneur who was denied product certification by BBN. “He had to go all the way to Canada to get his goods tested — and he got the green light there.”

President Ndayishimiye alleged that corruption within the agency was behind the rejection of valid products while others — allegedly those who paid bribes — received certification with ease.

Burundi’s Bureau of Standards and Quality Control (BBN) was founded in 1992. It plays a central role in the country’s industrial development and consumer protection. It is tasked with developing and enforcing national quality standards, calibrating equipment, overseeing metrology and legal measurements, and certifying products to ensure safety and compliance with international norms.

But the agency has increasingly come under fire for being slow, unresponsive, and opaque in its operations, with critics arguing that it has become a barrier to innovation rather than a support system for industry.

In his remarks, Ndayishimiye expressed disappointment that an institution meant to uphold quality and boost exports had turned into a gatekeeper that discourages young business owners through corruption and poor service.

“It’s time we hold institutions accountable,” he said, hinting that officials who fail to deliver results should be prepared to step aside.