In a proactive move to tackle the recurring issue of Nigeria’s export products being rejected in international markets, the federal government (FG) has established the National Quality Council (NQC).
The NQC’s primary objective is to promote the development, harmonization, and rationalization of Nigeria’s Quality Infrastructure.
Chairman and chief executive of the NQC, Osita Aboloma, emphasized the urgent need to harmonize and rationalize various aspects of the quality infrastructure, including standards development, metrology, conformity assessment, and accreditation. This harmonization will enhance cost-effectiveness and efficiency, ultimately improving the acceptance of Nigerian export products worldwide.
Aboloma echoed the recent statement by Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), that a significant percentage of Nigeria’s food exports face rejection in Europe and America. He identified sanitary and phytosanitary requirements as key challenges that need to be overcome to prevent constant rejections. These requirements focus on protecting human, animal, and plant life or health risks related to pests, diseases, additives, toxins, and contaminants in food and feed.
Aboloma also expressed concern about the practice of Nigerians shipping goods to Ghana for certification to enhance export value, emphasizing the importance of accelerating the development, rationalization, and harmonization of Nigeria’s quality infrastructure to maximize value addition.
He stressed the need for increased synergy among public and private sector organizations and institutions involved in the National Quality Infrastructure, as well as greater awareness among operators along the export value chain.
The NQC was established to implement the Nigerian National Quality Policy (NNQP) and aims to ensure efficient and effective management of regulatory responsibilities. It also focuses on the development of a supportive National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) comprising standards, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment services that meet global acceptability standards and enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products and services.
Aboloma highlighted the NQC’s placement within the presidency, under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to minimize bureaucratic hurdles and align with similar bodies around the world.
He emphasized the success achieved by countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa that have promoted harmonized quality infrastructure, resulting in substantial foreign exchange earnings from unhindered exports. Examples of such countries include the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Morocco, Ghana, and Kenya.
The NQC aims to facilitate industry access to affordable and globally accepted conformity assessment services, ensuring that Nigerian-made products can be marketed with the motto: “Tested once, certified once, and accepted everywhere.”
Aboloma urged Nigerian exporters to leverage the existing quality infrastructure in the country to conserve foreign exchange, enhance the efficiency of the export value chain, and mitigate the rejection of Nigerian products across regional, continental, and international borders. This approach will enable efficient service delivery and contribute to overall economic empowerment, especially in light of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
