A three-day training with Mississippi State University aims to strengthen food safety controls and improve Nigeria’s prospects for agricultural exports

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, led by Director-General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has concluded a three-day capacity-building programme in Nigeria on Thursday, July 23, 2026, to strengthen pesticide residue risk assessment and improve the safety and export quality of Nigerian agricultural produce.

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The NAFDAC pesticide safety training, conducted in collaboration with Mississippi State University in the United States, focused on findings from a United States Department of Agriculture-sponsored research project examining pesticide residues in agricultural produce, with beans and sesame seeds used as case studies.

The initiative comes as Nigeria seeks to reinforce its food safety system and address longstanding concerns over pesticide residues that have affected the international marketability of some Nigerian agricultural commodities, particularly beans.

The training equipped NAFDAC personnel with skills in pesticide residue surveillance, laboratory analysis, food safety risk assessment, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point procedures and evidence-based regulatory decision-making.

According to NAFDAC, the programme is part of its broader effort to ensure that food consumed domestically or exported from Nigeria meets international safety requirements while reducing potential health risks associated with excessive pesticide exposure.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Special Assistant to the Director-General in Lagos, Dr Gbenga Fajemirokun, said the research had offered important insight into the points at which pesticide residues can enter the food supply chain.

“The research identified Critical Control Points (CCPs) where pesticide residues enter the food value chain, enabling regulators to better detect and prevent contamination,” Fajemirokun said.

He added that the project builds on earlier studies carried out by NAFDAC and could strengthen regulatory oversight while supporting Nigeria’s agricultural export ambitions.

The agency said the research findings would help regulators develop more effective measures for identifying and controlling pesticide contamination, particularly in commodities with significant export potential.

The focus on beans carries particular significance. Nigeria’s dry bean exports have faced restrictions in European markets in the past following concerns about excessive pesticide residues.

The European Union imposed restrictions on Nigerian beans in 2015 after reported findings of dichlorvos residues above the applicable maximum residue limit, a development that prompted repeated calls for stronger controls across the food supply chain. (The Guardian Nigeria)

Although the current programme does not by itself lift any trade restriction, NAFDAC said the knowledge gained through the research and training could support efforts to improve compliance with international standards and strengthen the credibility of Nigerian agricultural produce in overseas markets.

The agency also stressed the importance of collaboration among regulators, researchers, development partners and agricultural stakeholders. Such cooperation, it said, would be essential to promoting responsible pesticide use, improving surveillance and protecting public health.

Representatives of Mississippi State University and the USDA, in separate goodwill messages, reportedly commended the partnership and encouraged participants to turn the research findings into practical regulatory measures.

The collaboration also reflects the wider importance of pesticide management to food safety. Mississippi State University’s agricultural extension programmes, for instance, provide pesticide safety education covering areas including proper handling, storage, application, environmental protection and record-keeping. (MSU Extension Service)

For Nigeria, the challenge extends beyond meeting export requirements. Effective pesticide regulation must also protect consumers at home, where food safety concerns can arise when agricultural chemicals are improperly selected, applied or used too close to harvest.

Research on grains sold in parts of southwestern Nigeria has previously reported pesticide residues exceeding maximum residue limits for some substances, underscoring the importance of sustained surveillance and stronger controls throughout the food chain.

Such findings, however, relate to specific studies and markets and should not be taken as evidence that all Nigerian agricultural produce is unsafe. (nrfhh.com)

NAFDAC’s latest intervention therefore places emphasis on prevention as well as enforcement, with the agency seeking to identify critical points of contamination before agricultural products reach consumers or international buyers.

For Nigerian farmers and exporters, the potential gains are significant. Better pesticide management and stronger regulatory systems could help improve confidence in locally produced commodities, support compliance with international requirements and strengthen the country’s position in competitive agricultural markets.

The agency said the ultimate goal remains to protect public health while ensuring that Nigerian food products can meet the safety standards expected in global markets.

As the country continues to pursue greater value from its agricultural sector, the success of such efforts will depend not only on regulatory training but also on how effectively research findings are translated into everyday practice by farmers, processors, traders, laboratories and regulators.

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The latest NAFDAC pesticide safety training represents a positive step in that direction, linking scientific evidence with regulatory action at a time when food safety and export competitiveness are increasingly intertwined.