FG Trains NAFDAC Officers on Quality Assurance for AfCFTA Implementation
The Federal Government has commenced capacity-building training for Directors and key officers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enhance their understanding of quality assurance and regulatory standards under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The training, organised by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, is aimed at strengthening […]
The Federal Government has commenced capacity-building training for Directors and key officers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enhance their understanding of quality assurance and regulatory standards under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The training, organised by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, is aimed at strengthening NAFDAC’s institutional readiness to support the effective implementation of AfCFTA protocols and ensure compliance with continental trade and product standards.
Speaking at the workshop held recently in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to expand cross-border trade and promote inclusive growth across Africa.
Awolowo, who was represented by the Senior Trade Expert and Lead at the Coordination Office, Mr. Olusegun Olutayo, said the programme is designed to equip NAFDAC officers with the technical knowledge to apply AfCFTA instruments and strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the liberalised continental market.
“In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate, we are driving AfCFTA implementation through capacity building for NAFDAC officers so they can effectively apply AfCFTA protocols and understand their role in implementing the trade agreement,” he said.
He explained that the workshop forms part of broader national initiatives to demystify AfCFTA instruments for public institutions and key private sector actors, enabling them to master product-specific rules, achieve mutual recognition arrangements, and ensure full compliance with international standards.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the AfCFTA as a transformative framework that would significantly impact the agency’s regulatory responsibilities.
> “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,” Adeyeye said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, represented by the Deputy Director of Tax Policy, Alhaji Muhammad Kamal Dalhat, said the training marked a milestone in positioning Nigeria for effective engagement under AfCFTA.
She emphasised that NAFDAC’s mandate to regulate food, drugs, cosmetics, and other products aligns directly with the standards and protocols that underpin the trade framework.
The workshop, themed “The Role of NAFDAC in the Implementation of the AfCFTA,” featured technical sessions led by trade experts including Prof. Jonathan Aremu, Dr. Abimbola Adegboye, and Mr. Olutayo, who discussed AfCFTA as a pathway to Nigeria’s economic revitalisation.