Nigeria can no longer continue to suffer losses arising from the rejection of agricultural exports because they fail to meet international standards.
To address this, the Federal Government has inaugurated an Interministerial Committee to strengthen the country’s agricultural quarantine system, improve biosecurity, expand non-oil exports and increase Nigeria’s access to international markets.
The government said the new committee would provide the coordination needed to remove institutional bottlenecks, improve compliance with global sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and position Nigeria as a reliable exporter of safe, high-quality agricultural products.
A statement from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning said the committee was inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The event brought together representatives of key Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), regulatory bodies, research institutions, farmers’ associations and other stakeholders involved in agriculture, trade and export development.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Deborah Odoh, said Nigeria must strengthen its agricultural quarantine system to protect its agricultural resources and improve the country’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
She said, ‘Nigeria can no longer afford the losses associated with the rejection of agricultural exports due to non-compliance with international standards.’
According to her, the establishment of the Interministerial Committee demonstrates the government’s determination to improve coordination among relevant institutions, remove obstacles affecting the agricultural export value chain, harmonise regulatory processes and bring Nigeria’s agricultural quarantine system in line with internationally accepted practices.
Dr. Odoh said the Federal Government is committed to building an efficient agricultural quarantine system capable of protecting the country’s crops, livestock and other agricultural resources while creating better opportunities for exporters and farmers.
She urged members of the committee to approach their assignment with professionalism, patriotism and a strong sense of national responsibility, expressing confidence that their recommendations would strengthen Nigeria’s biosecurity framework and improve agricultural trade.
She said the committee’s work is expected to increase non-oil exports, raise farmers’ incomes and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
According to her, the inauguration also represents another important step in the government’s efforts to build a resilient agricultural sector, strengthen food security and position Nigeria among the leading exporters of safe and high-quality agricultural products.
Also speaking, the Comptroller-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr. Vincent Isegbe, described the agency as Nigeria’s first line of defence against the entry and spread of plant, animal and aquatic pests and diseases.
He explained that the agency carries out pest risk analysis, inspections, surveillance, certification and other quarantine procedures to ensure that agricultural products entering or leaving the country comply with internationally accepted standards.
Dr. Isegbe said strengthening the country’s agricultural quarantine system would significantly reduce the rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports in foreign markets.
He added that the reforms would improve foreign exchange earnings, strengthen Nigeria’s reputation as a dependable supplier of safe agricultural products and create more business opportunities for farmers, exporters and agribusinesses.
‘Nigeria possesses enormous agricultural potential, but unlocking that potential requires stronger collaboration among institutions responsible for agriculture, trade, finance, customs, transportation, standards, laboratory accreditation, research and border security,’ he said.
In his welcome address, the Director of Economic Growth at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Auwal Mohammed, said the inauguration marked another step towards improving cooperation among government agencies in support of agricultural development, food security and economic diversification.
He said an effective agricultural quarantine system is essential to protect Nigeria’s crops, livestock, fisheries and natural resources from transboundary pests and diseases while ensuring that the country’s agricultural exports meet international sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
The committee has been given the responsibility of reviewing proposals aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, assessing infrastructure and laboratory requirements, recommending sustainable funding mechanisms and developing practical strategies to improve compliance with international sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
It is also expected to recommend measures that will promote Nigeria’s agricultural exports and improve the country’s competitiveness in global agricultural trade.
Members of the committee were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigerian National Accreditation System, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, freight forwarding associations and other relevant stakeholders.