NAFDAC Clarifies Food Safety Jurisdiction in Nigeria

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), announced that fresh fruits and specific agricultural commodities of public health concern do not fall under NAFDAC's regulatory jurisdiction. Instead, oversight of these products is the responsibility of the Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).

This clarification was made in response to public confusion regarding the roles of the two agencies, particularly concerning items flagged as food safety risks that were incorrectly attributed to NAFDAC. Adeyeye emphasized that NAQS holds the quarantine mandate for fresh agricultural produce and urged the public and media to direct concerns about such products to the appropriate agency.

She also highlighted the importance of coordinated collaboration among government agencies to ensure effective food safety regulation across Nigeria. NAFDAC's mandate includes the regulation of food, drugs, cosmetics, devices, and packaged water, while fresh, unprocessed agricultural produce is outside its scope under Nigerian law.