RUSAGARA MUVUNANKIKO Valens
The Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) has withdrawn its quality certification, known as the S-Mark, from dozens of alcoholic beverage producers across the country, in one of the most sweeping regulatory crackdowns on the sector in recent years.
In an official announcement released today, RSB said the decision followed joint inspections into compliance with quality standards and proper use of certification marks. The board explained that the move was taken “to protect public health and safety” of consumers.
According to the statement, RSB has taken four key actions. First, it has revoked the S-Mark licenses previously granted to the listed companies. Second, it has banned these manufacturers from using the S-Mark on their products going forward. Third, it has ordered the affected companies to instruct their distributors to immediately pull the products from shops and markets and return them to factory warehouses. This recall order aligns with directives already issued by the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) on August 2 and August 3, 2026. Finally, RSB warned that any manufacturer who fails to comply with these directives will face further legal action under existing laws and regulations.
The list of affected companies is extensive, covering 47 manufacturers and well over 80 individual products. Among the biggest names on the list is Ingufu Gin Ltd, which had eleven different products decertified, including popular brands such as Red Waragi, Rabiant Gin, Ngufu Gin, King’s Vodka and G&S Rum. Other notable companies affected include NBG Ltd (United Gin and Fimbo Gin), Sky Drop Industry Ltd (which lost certification for five products, including Saint Nero Gin and Veritas Gin), and Nopa Enterprise Ltd (ENAK Gin, LEVI Gin, and SAVIS Gin).
The crackdown also swept up numerous smaller producers of banana-based alcoholic beverages, ginger-flavoured drinks, and fruit wines — products that are widely consumed across Rwanda. Companies such as Rugali Agro-Processing Company, Twitezimbere Muhinzi Ltd, Ruprotraco Ltd, Ongera Ubumenyi Ltd, and Uzima Daima Ltd all had one or more products stripped of their quality mark. In total, the affected products span gins, vodkas, rums, banana-based spirits, ginger-flavoured alcoholic drinks, and pineapple or mixed-fruit wines.
Each product on the list was issued a unique license number under RSB’s certification system, allowing authorities and consumers to trace exactly which items are subject to the ban.
RSB noted that inspections into the alcoholic beverage sector are still ongoing, and cautioned that additional manufacturers could be added to the enforcement list in the coming days as the review continues. The board also urged the public, distributors, and traders to cooperate fully with the directive and avoid selling or distributing any of the listed products.
Closing its statement, RSB thanked manufacturers and the public for their anticipated cooperation in upholding the integrity of Rwanda’s quality mark system, which is designed to assure consumers that certified goods meet national safety and quality standards.
