The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has solicited the cooperation of groups in the export business to put an end to rejection of food exports from Nigeria.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by the agency media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola.
Adeyeye made the call in Lagos at a meeting with trade groups at the ports with the theme: “The role of Freight Consolidator in the Export of NAFDAC Regulated Products.”
The NAFDAC boss was represented at the event by Mrs Oluwaseyi Sanwo-olu, Head, Export Division, Ports Inspection Directorate of NAFDAC.
Adeyeye said that NAFDAC had intensified efforts to bring all the major stakeholders in the exports trade at the nation’s ports to align with the appropriate electronic channel to obtain export certification.
She urged the clearing agents to propagate to the various exporters, cargo operators and handlers on the need to align with the guidelines put in place by regulatory channels for export certification.
She said the aim was to put a stop to the embarrassment of rejection of food exported from Nigeria, adding that such situation brings huge losses to the country.
Adeyeye said the stance was in line with the Federal Government’s policy to diversify the economy through the non-oil export sector and with the policy initiative on the Presidential Enabling Business Executive Council (PEBEC).
The D-G pointed out that NAFDAC, as one of the key drivers of the initiative, has stepped up its processes to ensure that all product meant for export regulated by the agency meet the international market standard.
She disclosed that this was done through an improved process of documentation, laboratory analysis, inspection, registration and Certification before they are exported.
She said the meeting with freight forwarders, freight consolidators, clearing agents, in export business was however, a follow-up to the one with pre-shipment agents recently.
Adeyeye called on the export stakeholders of the agency’s regulated products for effective collaboration to complement its robust regulatory policies geared toward understanding the NAFDAC export processes.
‘’The main objective of the meeting is collaboration to safeguard a unified exportation procedure and zero rejects of Nigeria export products.
“NAFDAC as a governmental agency was established by its enabling Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 which empowers the agency as the competent authority in Nigeria.
“The agency is charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale, and use of food, drug, chemicals, and other regulated products,” she said.
The NAFDAC boss noted that the regulatory policy of the agency was geared towards the protection of consumers and promoting public health.
She explained that this was through ensuring that regulated products are of good quality, safe, efficacious, wholesome, and accepted in the global market.
She said that freight consolidators should be well informed on the nature of the products they are handling and how to keep the product’s integrity intact.
She urged them to also guide their clients (exporters) to always factor in time for processing of export certification in their timelines before planning the next exportation.
She said the agency was sensitive to peculiarity of export consignment at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and would guide erring exporters as well as streamline export requirements for such consignments.
