NAFDAC Strategises To End Rejection Of Nigerian Food Exports

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is partnering relevant agencies to end the rejection of food and agricultural commodities from Nigeria in some countries in Europe, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, where they have been repeatedly rejected.

The NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, in a statement, said ‘’Nigeria has lost billions of naira in trade that could have benefitted our people. About 70 percent of our exports are rejected, food products especially. All these rejected products did not go through NAFDAC regulatory assessment. It disgraces us as a country.’’

She noted that the international market is competitive in nature and only welcomes products of high quality with relevant certifications and quality packaging that is environmentally friendly and beneficial to trade globally, noting with dismay that the problem of quality, standard, certification and appropriate packaging for made-in-Nigeria products destined for export has been an issue in the international market.

She however, emphasised the need to address the issue of rejections, adding that some exporters obtain the wrong documentation, especially fake lab results, instead of bringing their products to NAFDAC’s ISO 17025:2015 accredited labs for analysis.

She maintained that NAFDAC is the competent authority in Nigeria charged with the responsibility to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution advertisement, sale and consumption of drugs, food and other regulated products in Nigeria.

‘’NAFDAC having attained the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems that covers all her regulatory processes and procedures and certified WHO GBT maturity level 3, places great premium on deepening use of science in its regulatory processes and self-developments.’’

The DG, however, pointed out that the Agency believes in collaborative efforts with both local and international organisations to compliment her robust regulatory policies geared in protecting consumers and promoting public health by ensuring that regulated products and the systems for their production are safe for the public