The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm that a high percentage of processed foods exported from Nigeria are usually rejected abroad thereby leading to colossal losses for both the exporter and the nation.
Director General of NAFDAC; Dr. Paul Orhi stated this yesterday at a One-Day sensitization programme held at the in Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm that a high percentage of processed foods exported from Nigeria are usually rejected abroad thereby leading to colossal losses for both the exporter and the nation.
Director General of NAFDAC; Dr. Paul Orhi stated this yesterday at a One-Day sensitization programme held at the in Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Dr. Orhi who was represented by Deputy Director in charge of Export; Mrs. Comfort Makanjuola stated that over the years, there have been a continued rejection of processed and semi-processed food commodities originating from Nigeria as a result of exporters’ inability to meet standards required by countries of destination.
He said that this was what necessitated NAFDAC to put together the workshop in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command to enlighten exporters, intending exporters, customs other stakeholders.
Dr. Orhi maintained that a product rejected causes colossal economic loss to the exporter, and also leads to economic and social damage to Nigeria as a nation; he said this was why NAFDAC called for collaboration between her and all stakeholders in the export sector of Nigeria's economy.
"Nigeria is currently focusing on developing a robust and dynamic non-oil export development dependent economy which is steadily growing and steadily stands at 12%"
"NAFDAC is working hard to ensure that all processed, semi-processed and food commodities exported out of Nigeria are safe and of high quality"
"Upon assumption of office, I decided that we needed to build a strong partnership for promotion of export of value added agricultural products and nutritional food, and as such we intend to strengthen collaboration with stakeholders in order to achieve the objectives and the overall objective of the Federal Government" he said.
Dr. Orhi maintained that export is an aspect of building every country's economy, as a result of its importance in international trade and economic stability.
He explained that the reason for NAFDAC regulation is to ensure that products that leave Nigeria's shores are of good quality, safe and meet international best practices from farm, to factory, to table.
He told the gathering that, "the first series of sensitization took place in Makurdi in 2014 and the agency intends to spread it round the country in order to enhance knowledge and skill in the production of quality and safe NAFDAC products while they share invaluable experiences with one another"
On his part Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Charles Edike stated that the need to ensure that regulated products are properly packaged before they are exported cannot be over emphasised.
While advising exporters to avoid cutting corners and rather go through regulated agencies who would ensure that products meant for export are tested and well certified so that they not rejected, Edike said if that had been the practice, the recent EU ban on some products from Nigeria wouldn’t have come up.
“If before now, products are properly tested here, certified before they left our shore, the recent EU ban on some products from Nigeria like dry beans wouldn’t have come up, we would not have this problem.
“So, we are calling on all exporters that they should not cut corners by avoiding NAFDAC or other government agencies that have to do with regulated products, because you cannot quantify the benefit you derive from going through their hands.
“We cannot over-emphasise the importance of letting government regulatory agencies do the work they are paid to do,” he said.
Discussion about this post