FG Trains NAFDAC Officers to Enhance Quality Assurance for AfCFTA
The Federal Government, through the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, has trained Directors and key officers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
This initiative is to build the capacity of the officers in understanding their critical role in driving the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, the workshop, which was held recently in Abuja, is a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to expand cross-border trade and foster inclusive growth within the AfCFTA market, an initiative projected to boost Nigeria’s GDP by 40% by 2030.
Mr. Awolowo, represented by Mr. Olusegun Olutayo, Senior Trade Expert/Lead, Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, stated that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that strategic institutions like NAFDAC are equipped through capacity building to meet the demands of a liberalized and integrated continental trade system.
“In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate, we are driving AfCFTA implementation through capacity building for NAFDAC’s officers so they can effectively apply the AfCFTA protocols, and understand their role in the implementation of the trade agreement,” Awolowo said.
He added, “This training is part of the broader initiatives that the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office is rolling out nationwide. Our goal is to demystify AfCFTA instruments for our institutions and key players, enabling them to master quality standards, product-specific rules, achieving Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and ensure full compliance.”
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stressed that the AfCFTA represents a fundamental shift in NAFDAC’s operating environment, making its role as a safeguard of public health more critical than ever.
“We will be working closely with the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office to harmonize standards. There is zero tolerance when it comes to international standards. We have to be deliberate, and Nigeria cannot afford to jeopardize its participation in this continental market,” Prof. Adeyeye asserted.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, described the workshop as a significant milestone in positioning Nigeria for success under the AfCFTA.
Represented by Alh. Muhammad Kamal Dalhat, Deputy Director of Tax Policy, the Permanent Secretary noted: “NAFDAC is a critical regulatory agency. Its mandate to safeguard public health through the regulation and control of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, and other products is directly linked to the standards and protocols required under the AfCFTA framework.”
The workshop with themed “The Role of NAFDAC in the implementation of the AfCFTA” featured a technical session by trade expert Prof. Jonathan Aremu, Dr. Abimbola Adegboye, and Mr Olutayo who engaged the participants on the topic AfCFTA as a Panacea for Economic Rebirth.
SIGNED:
Olusegun Olutayo, Senior Trade Expert/Lead, Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office