The Federal Government has inaugurated an Interministerial Committee on the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) to reduce agricultural export rejections, strengthen biosecurity and boost non-oil exports.
The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja as part of the government’s efforts to improve compliance with international agricultural standards and increase Nigeria’s access to regional and global markets.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Deborah Odoh, said the Tinubu administration remains committed to building an efficient and internationally compliant agricultural quarantine system.
She noted that Nigeria can no longer afford the economic losses caused by the rejection of agricultural exports due to non-compliance with global standards.
According to Odoh, the establishment of the committee reflects the Federal Government’s determination to strengthen policy coordination, remove institutional bottlenecks, harmonise regulatory processes and align Nigeria’s agricultural quarantine system with international best practices.
She urged members of the committee to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism, patriotism and a strong sense of national duty.
Odoh expressed confidence that the committee’s recommendations would strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural biosecurity framework, improve agricultural trade and support sustainable economic growth.
The initiative is expected to enhance the quality of Nigerian agricultural exports, increase the competitiveness of local products in international markets and contribute to the country’s drive to diversify the economy through non-oil exports.
