The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has concluded a three-day capacity-building programme for its staff on pesticide residue risk assessment, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s food safety regulatory system and improve the quality of agricultural produce.
The training, organised in collaboration with the Mississippi State University (MSU), United States, focused on the findings of a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-sponsored research project titled “Risk Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Agricultural Produce Using Beans and Sesame Seeds in Nigeria as a Case Study.”
The programme equipped participants with advanced knowledge in pesticide residue surveillance, laboratory analysis, food safety risk assessment, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and evidence-based regulatory decision-making to enhance the country’s food safety framework.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Special Assistant to the Director-General (Lagos), Dr. Gbenga Fajemirokun, said the research identified critical control points where pesticide residues enter the food value chain, providing regulators with valuable tools to detect and prevent contamination.
He explained that the initiative builds on previous NAFDAC studies and would strengthen regulatory oversight, improve the safety of agricultural products and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in international agricultural trade.
According to him, the findings are also expected to support ongoing efforts to secure the removal of international restrictions on Nigerian bean exports by demonstrating improved pesticide management and food safety compliance.
Fajemirokun stressed that effective monitoring of pesticide residues is essential to protecting public health, maintaining consumer confidence and ensuring that Nigerian agricultural products meet global safety standards.
The training also underscored the importance of stronger collaboration among regulatory agencies, research institutions, development partners and stakeholders across the agricultural value chain in promoting the responsible use of pesticides and safeguarding food safety.
Representatives of Mississippi State University and the USDA, in separate goodwill messages, commended the partnership with NAFDAC and urged participants to translate the research findings into practical regulatory measures that would strengthen pesticide management, improve food safety surveillance and better protect consumers across Nigeria.
The programme forms part of NAFDAC’s broader strategy to build scientific and regulatory capacity, strengthen evidence-based decision-making and align Nigeria’s food safety systems with international best practices.
