The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has explained why some exported Nigerian foods are constantly rejected by receiving countries, warning that the agency will soon review existing sanctions for exporters of substandard products.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known at a news conference while expressing displeasure at the level Nigerian goods were being rejected in some foreign countries; adding that the agency had been able to identify some of the reasons for the development, including non-compliance with advisory guidelines established by NAFDAC to encourage participatory exports.
She also said that almost all exported food products were processed without statutory testing by NAFDAC.
According to her, some of the goods are exported without NAFDAC’s quality control and safety tests hence their rejection.
Other reasons included: the non-utilisation of hitherto free laboratory testing by NAFDAC for export samples, coupled with the connivance of unscrupulous agents.
She also cited exclusion of NAFDAC’s requirements for its regulated products in the mandatory pre-shipment inspection in the National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) as administered by the Federal Government-appointed Pre-shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs).
Adeyeye explained that some of the exporters were unwilling to comply with minimal sanitary and phytosanitary measures required for exports to countries with stringent market access, as well as poor packaging by some manufacturers.
“This is because many exporters had formed the habit of disregarding the importation requirements of trading partner countries. So also, penchant for sourcing from open markets for exports without any form of minimal safety or quality specifications and unwillingness to invest in pre-export activities that help to ensure sustainable export” are part of the problem, Adeyeye said.
She listed immediate inclusion and implementation, as a matter of urgency, NAFDAC Good Manufacturing Practices, Good Hygienic Practices and Laboratory testings for mycotoxin, pesticide residue, and heavy metals certification for regulated food and drug products.
According to her, the agency will continue with awareness and sensitisation meetings with the export trade operators on NAFDAC guidelines-regulated products.
