South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) has threatened to take legal action against traders who import counterfeit goods to South Sudan.
The Bureau is mandated to ensure that all the imported items are properly checked before they cross into South Sudan. Gloria Nyoka Joseph Lasu, Executive Director of SSNBS, says items without a certificate of conformity will not enter South Sudan.
“A penalty will be imposed at all entry points for importing goods without certificate of conformity,” warns Lasu.
A certificate of conformity (CoC) is a document that shows that goods are safe, meet standards and are in line with the regulations.
South Sudan imports most of its food items for commercial and domestic use from Kenya and Uganda. Lasu warns that the importation of products without a certificate of conformity several times will attract a lawsuit.
“Repeating importation of products without certificate of conformity will lead to further legal action,” she adds.
On Monday, South Sudan National Bureau of Standards impounded 11 commercial vehicles carrying fuel suspected to have been smuggled into the country.
In April 2025, 3840 bags of sorghum meant for humanitarian aid were blocked at the South Sudan-Uganda border in Nimule.
An estimated 2.2 trillion dollars, 3 percent of the world's gross domestic product are lost annually through the production of substandard goods. Uganda loses 6 trillion shillings annually as a result of production of substandard products according to Uganda Anti-Counterfeit Network (ACN).
In 2021, the SSNBS said food items which do not meet the standards for consumption had been a cause of diseases in South Sudan.
