By S David Prince
The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards, a move directly aimed at stopping the wave of export rejections that has cost Nigerian farmers and exporters significant earnings in recent years.
The group was inaugurated on Monday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, who said Nigerian agricultural products must now meet international food safety and quality standards if the country is serious about competing in global markets.
“It has become increasingly important that Nigerian agricultural products not only meet production targets but also comply with internationally accepted food safety and quality standards under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Mr. Abdullahi stated.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria has suffered repeated export rejections due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements imposed by importing countries. According to him, the pattern has led to economic losses, eroded market confidence, and cost farmers and exporters opportunities they could otherwise have captured.
The technical group brings together stakeholders from government ministries, regulatory agencies, academia, research institutions, the private sector and development partners. Its mandate covers reviewing pesticide use practices, strengthening national food control systems, and expanding Nigerian access to premium export markets.
Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, represented at the event by Mr. Bukar Usman, said agriculture remains central to Nigeria’s food security and economic growth, but cautioned that continued export rejections put farmers’ livelihoods directly at risk.
Prof. Lateef Sanni, Chairman of the Technical Working Group and Executive Director of the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, said the group’s work would include reviewing existing residue standards, aligning national guidelines with global benchmarks, and strengthening laboratory testing capacity.
“The group would discharge its assignment with professionalism and evidence-based recommendations,” Prof. Sanni assured.
Beyond market access, the minister noted that the initiative is also expected to improve public health outcomes and reduce post-harvest losses linked to trade restrictions, since produce rejected for export often ends up wasted rather than redirected to other markets.
The inauguration adds to a string of recent federal interventions in the agricultural sector this month, including the distribution of fertiliser to North-Central farmers under the NADF Farm Input Support Programme. Whether the new technical group can move from policy framework to measurable reduction in export rejections will be the real test of its impact.
