Follow Us on Google
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The federal government has initiated plans to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural commodities due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards yesterday in Abuja, charged the members to come up with a solution to the problem.
Abdullahi described the move as “another significant milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring food safety and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural markets.”
He stated that the establishment of the TWG aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which demands that Nigerian agricultural products “not only meet production targets but also comply with internationally accepted food safety and quality standards”.
He noted that over the years, Nigeria has recorded several cases of export rejections of agricultural commodities due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
According to him, these rejections have led to economic losses, reduced market confidence, and missed opportunities for farmers, exporters, and agribusinesses.
He added that the growing concerns over pesticide residues, contaminants, and food safety issues demand a coordinated, science-based, and multisectoral response, which underscores the necessity for establishing this technical working group.
Other News
According to him, the group will serve as a platform to bring together experts from government institutions, regulatory agencies, academia, research institutions, the private sector, commodity associations, and development partners to address challenges relating to agricultural produce residue standards in Nigeria.
The Minister stressed that the selection was a recognition of their expertise, experience, and commitment to advancing Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
He charged them to develop practical, implementable, and sustainable solutions to strengthen national food control systems, improve farmer compliance with safe pesticide use practices, and support access to premium markets for Nigerian agricultural products, adding that the recommendations should be evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with global best practices while taking into account local realities.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Bukar Musa, noted that agriculture remains “a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to food security, employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, and rural development.”
He warned that the increasing rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports due to non-compliance with international residue standards “poses a serious challenge to our export aspirations and threatens the livelihoods of our farmers and agribusiness operators”.
Responding on behalf of the group, its chairman, Prof. Lateef Oladimeji, stated that the inauguration marked a significant step to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural quality assurance system and ensure produce “meets acceptable residue standards in line with global best practices”.
Oladimeji explained that the TWG’s mandate includes reviewing existing standards, harmonising national guidelines with international benchmarks, and strengthening laboratory capacity for monitoring and enforcement.
