According to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), more than 70 percent of Nigerian food exported abroad is rejected.
At the official opening of the new NAFDAC office complex at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the agency’s director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the issue was causing enormous financial losses for exporters and the country as a whole.
She stated, however, that the rejection of food exports by other nations may soon be a thing of the past if NAFDAC and other government agencies at the ports collaborate more closely.
Adeyeye stated that NAFDAC, in conjunction with port agencies, would ensure that exported goods are of the required quality and satisfy the regulatory requirements of the importing countries prior to packaging.
“More than 70% of the products leaving our ports are declined. “It is a double loss for both the exporter and the country when you consider the cost of exporting these goods,” she said.
Adeyeye added that the mandate to safeguard the health of the population and the quality of imports into a country like Nigeria, which is “overwhelmingly dependent” on imports, cannot be fulfilled “without the effective presence of NAFDAC at the ports and land borders.”
The director-general praised the police and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for their mutually beneficial relationship.
Adeyeye stated, “Without customs, we will be unable to do much of what we have been able to do.”
She also stated that without the police, NAFDAC is limited in its ability to conduct investigations and enforce laws.
“We have over 80 police officers on staff at NAFDAC.” They assist us greatly during inspections or investigations, as the case may be.”