The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in collaboration with the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN) and other key stakeholders in food export, has pledged to work together to eliminate the rejection of Nigerian processed and semi-processed cocoa products, as well as other food exports, in international markets.
This commitment was made during the NAFDAC Export Stakeholders’ Interactive Session held in Lagos, which brought together COPAN, the Network of Practicing Non-oil Exporters of Nigeria (NPNEN), the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA). The session focused on reviewing the draft NAFDAC Export Regulations 2024.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, addressed the initial concerns raised by the cocoa industry regarding the draft Cocoa Regulations, which had been posted online for public comment. Describing the meeting as an unprecedented gathering, Prof. Adeyeye emphasized its purpose: to foster dialogue on critical issues of trade facilitation and to build a unified approach for the collective benefit of the country.
She highlighted that regulations are essential legal instruments that establish standards for all stakeholders involved in the manufacturing, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale, and use of regulated products. These regulations, rooted in enabling laws, define boundaries and set penalties for violations.
Prof. Adeyeye noted that under her leadership, NAFDAC, now recognized as a WHO ML3 Regulatory Agency, has updated and gazetted 21 new regulations across various sectors. She emphasized that the export regulations are among several new regulations currently being processed for enactment into law.
She also expressed concern over the frequent rejection of Nigerian products at international borders due to lack of NAFDAC certification, which has increasingly put Nigeria at a disadvantage in global commerce. Prof. Adeyeye lamented that some Nigerian products have already been blacklisted by certain importing countries, attributing this to years of inadequate oversight and regulatory supervision of the quality and safety of exported products. She stressed that NAFDAC is committed to preventing a total ban on Nigerian food exports by pursuing both local and international regulatory interventions.
Reflecting on a previous Export Stakeholder Engagement held at the Digital Bridge Institute in Lagos in May 2024, Prof. Adeyeye noted that the industry, regulators, and other government agencies had agreed to collaborate closely to elevate the standards of regulated product exports, for the benefit of all stakeholders and the nation as a whole.
In her concluding remarks, the DG underscored the critical importance of these regulatory interventions for the survival of Nigeria’s international trade, where compliance with trade laws is rigorously assessed. She reassured stakeholders that NAFDAC would provide support, starting with cocoa producers, by categorizing them based on compliance risk levels and conducting random inspections as necessary.
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Echoing the DG’s sentiments, Dr. Olusola Obajimu, Director General of NACCIMA, expressed satisfaction that the proposed regulation is not driven by revenue generation, but by the goal of achieving global standards to unlock Nigeria’s export potential. He affirmed the stakeholders’ commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings through non-oil export trade, in collaboration with NAFDAC.
