The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) weekend called for collaboration with stakeholders to combat the smuggling of plant and animal products across the country’s borders.
Comptroller General, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, stated in an interview with Arise News that the incidence of illegal exportation of agricultural produce without proper certification poses a significant challenge.
He said, to combat this, the Nigerian Navy can play a crucial role in enhancing surveillance and monitoring of maritime activities to detect and prevent illegal exportation.
Isegbe noted that the effort is to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases that could harm local agriculture and ecosystems.
He said Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service highlights phytosanitary compliance as key to agro export success, adding that NAQS underscores the critical importance of Phytosanitary Certification as the sole globally recognised standard for agro-produce exports.
The Comptroller General informed that from Q1 to Q4 in 2024, all rejections of Nigerian agricultural products flagged by the European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) were due to the absence of a Phytosanitary Certificate.
“This alarming trend highlights the need for strict adherence to regulatory requirements to safeguard Nigeria’s reputation in global trade. Non-compliance not only results in economic losses but also inflicts reputational damage, as rejection by one EU member state triggers alerts across all 27 member nations, creating bad signals for future exports, which can lead to outright ban of agro-produce from Nigeria.
“NAQS is aware that some entities are advising exporters to obtain alternative certifications. However, we strongly caution against such misinformation,” he said.