NAMIBIA ISLAMIC HALAAL ASSOCIATION

The NIHA Certification or Licensing Agreement

• Is an Internationally Recognised Certificate or License which approves a particular food or product as Halaal and fit for the consumption especially for Muslims.
• An establishment which is awarded with a NIHA Halaal Certificate or License is encouraged to affix the NIHA-logo on its products or to display the logo on its premises.
• Details of the same will vary from organisation to organisation or product to product.

What are the benefits of having a NIHA Halaal certificate?

• The Certificate or License is an authoritative, reliable and independent testimony to support the fact that your products or food meet Halaal requirements set by NIHA.
• Since Halaal certification is not mandatory, a competitive advantage is gained over companies with no Halaal Accreditation.
• NIHA Halaal licenses impose strict personal sanitation requirements in addition to manufacturing premise hygiene practices, complimentary to HACCP program.
• NIHA’s Standards can be used as guidelines to gain and sustain ISO Accreditation.
• NIHA audits Abattoirs according to its standards that involve Animal Welfare Auditing and accommodates a traceability System called Fan Meat Namibia, provided by The Meat Board of Namibia.
• NIHA will be producing on an ongoing basis, client listing of approved outlets. Advertising space will be at no costs for approved licensees.
• The promotion of your products through a recognised body will enhance its image within the Muslim Community of more than 1.4 Billion Halaal consumers and at the same time increase the variety of products available to the Muslim Community.
• Halal Certification is required to produce acceptable food and consumable products for Halal consumers. That includes the 1.4 billion Muslims in the world and the many millions of others who also choose to eat Halal products.
• The market for Halal certified products is huge. It includes the 1.4 billion Muslims in the world and many millions of non-Muslims who chose to eat Halal certified products. There are over 9 million Muslims in North America, over 20 million in Europe, over 300 million in Africa, nearly 200 million in the Middle East and over 800 million in Asia.
• If you are an exporter, the certificate may also help the importing country’s trade entry requirements. This may enhance your product’s marketability. The Certificate or License is an internationally accepted means to ensure the Halaal status of foods or products.
• Business gains a considerable amount of consumer trust and enhances its level of confidence through the process of fulfilling community-orientated social and religious obligations.
• Accreditation and Halaal compliance certification is provided whilst maintaining the confidentiality of company trade and product details.
• NIHA compliments all E.U. / E.C. standards as stipulated in acquired directives as a standard medium.
• A Halaal accredited is permitted to affix its unique NIHA LOGO on all suitable products for greater promotion and marketing purposes.
• The Namibia Islamic Halaal Association offers a guideline and provides an outline for ISO, HACCP, EFSIS, Veterinarian inspection, Meat Board requirements and Animal Welfare Audits.
• All of the above is included in the whole certification process.

What can NIHA offer you?

• NIHA provides also other Halaal-related services such as:

1. Educating the public on Islamic dietary laws and practices
2. Answering Halaal food enquiries.
3. Conduct briefings and workshops on Halaal foods.
4. Investigating Halaal food complaints, deceptions or any suspicious deviation.
5. Undertaking Halaal inspection work for company functions.
6. Keeping the Muslim and non-Muslim Consumers fully informed with respect to fraudulent or deceptive practices.
7. Initiating and promoting the concept of a Muslim Consumer organisation.
8. Promotion and advertising of Halaal products and services.

The process of Halaal certification through NIHA
Application
1.      An application form is provided to the applicant.
2.      A brief interview are encouraged to both or relevant parties to discuss the criteria and procedure of certifying.
3.      A quick overview of the facility will be an advantage to serve as a tool for the inspection.
4.      The history, functions and the potentials of the facility will be needed as to prevent any          
misconception.   
5.      A Map of the facility must be provided in order for NIHA to identify “Hazardous Elements, Contaminative Factors and Halaal Ergonomics”

Inspections

1. The NIHA Inspectors or representatives will conduct an inspection prior to the certifying or licensing.
2. NIHA will take samples of the relevant additives, colouring, water samples, stabilizers etc. for analysis and screening.
3. Samples of the package material, cleaning material and pest control mediums (insecticides) will be submitted to NIHA for analysis and screening.
4. All raw or pre-worked material will have to be investigated and certified as Halaal in order to get processed.
5. This inspection is very important as NIHA will be able to asses as to how to go about with its audits. As each plant, premises or facility differs in circumstances, venues or setup.
6. The NIHA inspection creates guidelines to straighten out irregularities, to verify the interview and shown details and the implementation of the Halaal standards.
7. The NIHA inspectors will, if necessary, make recommendations which shall be implemented in a mutually agreed time of frame.
8. Follow up inspection/s will also be conducted to see whether the recommendations were met at the agreed time.
9. NIHA inspectors or representatives will conduct unannounced visits to the applicant’s premises to verify information given in the application form and to ascertain that the product of foods meets the NIHA Standard Requirements.

Audits

1. After the inspections and the implementation of the NIHA Halaal Standard, an audit will be conducted by the Executive Board of NIHA, accompanied with a qualified Auditor under the guidance and in co-operation with a member of Namibia’s ‘Ulama (Theological / Religious Instructor) to asses the Halaal Standards as set out by NIHA.
2. The Audit serves as a medium to evaluate whether NIHA’s Halaal System is in place by measuring the effectiveness and the implementation thereof.
3. The Audit will therefore measure the Halaal status of the premises, products and handling.

Please note:

1. With NIHA’s Halaal Standards only 100% passed applicants, will be awarded with a NIHA Halaal Certificate or License. It is either Halaal or not-Halaal.
2. Doubtful (Mashquk) products or services will not receive attention unless or until its Halaal status is clear
3. The difference between the NIHA-inspections and the NIHA-audits are as follows:

• Inspections focus on the adjustments, recommendations and the ongoing system implementations, requirements and rules and-regulations of NIHA’s Standards for Halaal.
• Audits focus on the Systems and required NIHA Standards that should be in place in order to acquire the NIHA Halaal Certificate or License.

Receiving the NIHA Halaal Certificate
The certificate is valid for one year and is renewable on expiry. It can be revoked if the holder of the certificates breaches the terms and conditions of its issue. The certificate is renewed if the conditions of the agreement are met. The application must submit a renewal application 30DAYS prior to the expiry date. The NIHA certificate is the property of the association and is not Transferable.

NIHA issues various types of certificates such as:

• Certificate for a/the Product/s: Certificate is issued to food manufacturers for their locally                          

               produced products.

• Certificate for Eating Establishments: Certificate is issued to eating establishments such as              

restaurants, fast food chains, airways, take-away outlets etc.

• Abattoirs: Certificate is issued for their fresh Halaal-Slaughtered meat and/ or by-products.
• Food Processing Facilities: A certificate is issued to a food processing company who manufactures or produces according to the NIHA Halaal Standards.
• Catering Services: A certificate is issued to hospitals, airway catering services, schools, fishing crew, old age homes and orphanages etc. for the Halaal product/s that was pre-packed under NIHA supervision.
• Certificate of Compliance: A certificate of compliance will be issued to Muslims (only) who wishes to comply with NIHA’s Halaal Standards at their shops, butcheries etc.
• Certificate of Compliance: The very same certificate will be issued to already certificate-holder if any other Certifying body wishes NIHA to conduct audits on their behalf.
• Certificate of Attendance of Training/Course: NIHA offers Halaal training to any denomination in order to uplift and maintain the Halaal standards in our societies and workplaces.