The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards in a major push to curb the persistent rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports in international markets over food safety concerns and excessive chemical residues.
The initiative, unveiled in Abuja on Monday, is aimed at addressing non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements that have continued to undermine Nigeria’s agricultural export potential.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, described the move as a critical step towards improving food safety and enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigerian farm produce.
He said the establishment of the Technical Working Group aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to ensure that Nigerian agricultural products not only achieve production targets but also comply with internationally accepted quality and safety standards.
According to the minister, repeated export rejections have cost the country valuable revenue and damaged the reputation of Nigerian products in global markets.
“Over the years, Nigeria has recorded several cases of export rejections of agricultural commodities due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements,” Abdullahi said.
He noted that the trend has resulted in economic losses, weakened buyer confidence and denied farmers, exporters and agribusiness operators access to lucrative international markets.
“The growing concerns over pesticide residues, contaminants and food safety issues demand a coordinated, science-based and multi-sectoral response. This underscores the necessity for establishing this Technical Working Group,” he added.
The minister explained that the TWG would serve as a strategic platform bringing together experts from government agencies, regulatory bodies, academia, research institutions, commodity associations, the private sector and development partners to tackle residue-related challenges across the agricultural value chain.
Charging members of the committee, Abdullahi urged them to develop practical and sustainable solutions capable of strengthening Nigeria’s food control systems, promoting safe pesticide use among farmers and improving access to premium export markets.
He stressed that the group’s recommendations must be evidence-based, inclusive and consistent with global best practices while reflecting local realities.
According to him, the expected outcomes of the committee’s work include improved public health, safer agricultural produce, increased export earnings and reduced post-harvest losses caused by market restrictions.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Bukar Musa, warned that the rejection of Nigerian exports over residue violations poses a significant threat to the country’s agricultural ambitions.
“Agriculture remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to food security, employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and rural development,” he said.
He added that continued export rejections threaten both national export aspirations and the livelihoods of farmers and agribusiness operators.
Ogunbiyi described the inauguration as the beginning of an important journey towards building a robust agricultural produce residue management framework capable of meeting international standards.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Chairman of the TWG, Lateef Oladimeji San, said the inauguration marked a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural quality assurance system.
He disclosed that the committee would review existing standards, harmonise national guidelines with international benchmarks and strengthen laboratory capacity for residue monitoring and enforcement.
“Our mandate is to ensure that Nigerian agricultural produce meets acceptable residue standards in line with global best practices,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director of the Plant Health and Pest Control Department, Grace Iwendi, commended the Minister of State for driving reforms aimed at achieving the administration’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Under its terms of reference, the Technical Working Group is expected to identify relevant agencies for data gathering, conduct nationwide assessments on pesticide residues and contaminants in priority crops, identify regulatory and institutional gaps, recommend corrective interventions and submit its final report to the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security within two months.
The Federal Government hopes the initiative will restore confidence in Nigerian agricultural exports, improve compliance with international food safety standards and position the country’s produce more competitively in regional and global markets.
