FG sets up team to stop rejection of Nigeria’s farm exports

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The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural commodities arising from non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

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The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen food safety systems and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural markets.

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This was contained in a statement issued on Monday following the inauguration ceremony held at the ministry’s conference room in Abuja.

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According to the minister, the inauguration marked “another significant milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring food safety and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural markets.”

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Abdullahi said the establishment of the Technical Working Group aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which requires that Nigerian agricultural products “Not only meet production targets but also comply with internationally accepted food safety and quality standards.”

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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.”

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According to him, the rejections have resulted in economic setbacks for stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.

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“These rejections have resulted in economic losses, reduced market confidence, and missed opportunities for farmers, exporters, and agribusinesses,” he stated.

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The minister added that “the growing concerns over pesticide residues, contaminants, and food safety issues demand a coordinated, science-based, and multi-sectoral response. This underscores the necessity for establishing this Technical Working Group.”

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He explained that the TWG would serve as “a strategic platform for bringing 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.”

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Addressing members of the committee, Abdullahi said their appointment reflected their competence and dedication to the development of the sector.

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He charged them to develop practical, implementable and sustainable solutions that would strengthen national food control systems, improve compliance with safe pesticide-use practices, and support access to premium markets for Nigerian agricultural products.

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The minister further urged the members to ensure that their recommendations were evidence-based, inclusive and consistent with global best practices while reflecting local realities.

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He said the work of the committee would safeguard public health, improve the quality and safety of Nigerian agricultural produce, increase export earnings, and reduce post-harvest losses associated with market restrictions.

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Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Marcus Ogunbiyi, said agriculture remained “a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to food security, employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, and rural development.”

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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.”

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Ogunbiyi described the inauguration as “the beginning of a critical journey towards establishing a robust agricultural produce residue management framework for Nigeria.”

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He commended the Minister of State for the initiative, saying it “underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening agricultural quality assurance systems, enhancing food safety, and promoting the competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural products.”

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Responding on behalf of the Technical Working Group, its Chairman, Lateef Oladimeji, said the inauguration marked “a significant step” towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural quality assurance system and ensuring that produce “meets acceptable residue standards in line with global best practices.”

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He explained that the committee’s mandate includes reviewing existing standards, harmonising national guidelines with international benchmarks, and strengthening laboratory capacity for monitoring and enforcement.

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The Director of the Plant Health and Pest Control Department, Grace Iwendi, commended the Minister of State for working assiduously towards achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda in the agricultural sector.

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The ministry said the Terms of Reference of the TWG include identifying relevant agencies to support a review of existing policies and guidelines on residue management and contaminants in selected priority crops; developing survey instruments to assess the current state of pesticide residues and contaminants in the country; identifying regulatory, institutional and operational gaps; recommending interventions to bridge the identified gaps; and providing a working document to improve residue and contaminant management.

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The committee is expected to submit its report to the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security within two months of its inauguration.

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