The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural commodities caused by non-compliance with international food safety requirements.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was designed to strengthen food safety systems and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural markets.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Abdullahi described the move as a significant step towards improving the quality and marketability of Nigerian agricultural products.
According to him, the establishment of the Technical Working Group aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to ensure that agricultural products from Nigeria meet globally accepted food safety and quality standards.
He noted that Nigeria has experienced several cases of export rejections over the years due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
“These rejections have resulted in economic losses, reduced market confidence, and missed opportunities for farmers, exporters, and agribusinesses,” the minister said.
Abdullahi explained that growing concerns over pesticide residues, contaminants and food safety issues require a coordinated, science-based and multi-sectoral approach.
He said the Technical Working Group would provide a platform for collaboration among government institutions, regulatory agencies, research institutions, academia, commodity associations, development partners and private sector stakeholders.
The minister urged members of the committee to develop practical, sustainable and implementable solutions that would strengthen Nigeria’s food control systems, improve compliance with safe pesticide-use practices and increase access to premium export markets.
He also charged the members to ensure that their recommendations are evidence-based, inclusive and aligned with international best practices while taking local realities into account.
According to Abdullahi, the committee’s work will contribute to safeguarding public health, improving the quality and safety of agricultural produce, increasing export earnings and reducing post-harvest losses linked to market restrictions.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Marcus Ogunbiyi, described agriculture as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to food security, employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and rural development.
He warned that the growing rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports due to residue-related non-compliance poses a major challenge to the country’s export ambitions and threatens the livelihoods of farmers and agribusiness operators.
Ogunbiyi described the inauguration of the committee as the beginning of a critical journey towards establishing a robust agricultural produce residue management framework for Nigeria.
He commended the Minister of State for initiating the project, noting that it reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening agricultural quality assurance systems and promoting the competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural products.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Chairman of the Technical Working Group, Lateef Oladimeji, said the inauguration marked a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural quality assurance system.
He stated that the committee would focus on reviewing existing standards, harmonising national guidelines with international benchmarks and strengthening laboratory capacity for monitoring and enforcement.
The Director of the Plant Health and Pest Control Department, Grace Iwendi, also commended the minister for advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda in the agricultural sector.
According to the ministry, the committee’s Terms of Reference include reviewing existing policies and guidelines on residue management, assessing the current state of pesticide residues and contaminants in priority crops, identifying regulatory and institutional gaps, recommending corrective interventions and developing a framework to improve residue and contaminant management across the agricultural value chain.
The Technical Working Group is expected to submit its report to the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security within two months of its inauguration.
