Women entrepreneurs’ hurdles to get NAFDAC registration
Anthea Peretu’s company produces Moin Moin Expresso. This is beans processed and turned into powder which is packaged. This can be used to make moin, moin or bean cake. But before Peretu got to this point, she said it was difficult to get the NAFDAC registration number. “Getting NAFDAC registration number is cumbersome,” Peretu said. […]
Anthea Peretu’s company produces Moin Moin Expresso. This is beans processed and turned into powder which is packaged. This can be used to make moin, moin or bean cake. But before Peretu got to this point, she said it was difficult to get the NAFDAC registration number.
“Getting NAFDAC registration number is cumbersome,” Peretu said. They said to register my product; I needed to have a fortified house where I package the items. They needed to see the packaging materials, raw materials, production room and so on. You know how much rent is in Abuja, I had to borrow money to rent a place for N550, 000 in Kuje.I had to sell my phone and laptop to start the business, Peretu explained.
“Now, we had to use water sterilisers to ensure the water is good for consumption. After I did that, NAFDAC officials came and said what is recommended is a borehole and not a well. I asked if I had to construct borehole in somebody’s house that I rented. Anyway, It took me over three years to get my product registered with NAFDAC but I am happy I did,” Peretu said gleefully.
Samuel DanAuta is the CEO of Jos Masterminds LTD, makers of M-Square potato chips. His story is similar to that of Peretu.
“NAFDAC said we should get an accredited food analyst to analyse our product. For each food value you need to analyse, it is N10, 000 so to analyse protein content is N10,000 and so is carbohydrate and others. There is only one Professor in University of Jos in this part of the country that has been accredited to do that for NAFDAC and it is quite expensive.
Though, we are now at the documentation stage with NAFDAC, the agency is waiting for us to take our product to an accredited food analyst,” Auta explains.
Responding to these issues, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, Director Special Duties, National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said the agency has made the process of getting the NAFDAC registration number easier for small business owners.
“About three years ago, we created a Small Scale Business support desk. The aim is to help people with little capital to register their products. We wave off the registration fee, but they truly have to show that they are small scale,” Jimoh said.
He said when the registration form is taken; the person should follow the guideline and set up a small factory. “Once that is done, we look at the raw materials, the production area and staff. They will produce a few sample which are taken to the lab and tested. Once the parameters are met, we okay it,” Jimoh said.
“If a small business owner does not have a lab, they should liaise with some food companies where they have food scientist and analyst. The approval the analyst gives is what they should attach to their registration forms,” Jimoh explains
He said the agency is not putting road blocks on the way for small businesses but trying to ensure authenticity and quality.
“SMEs can come to our small business support desk and we will teach them how to go about it. We are not just a scientific organisation but provide social responsibility to the society. If the Nigerian economy has to do well, we have to encourage small business,”Jimoh said.