The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has joined forces with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to address irregularities in Nigeria’s food export system.
This collaboration also aims to foster initiatives that unlock the healthcare value chain, ensuring effective transformation in both sectors.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, revealed this development in Abuja on Wednesday during a courtesy visit from Dr. Muhammad Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
The meeting also included the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, both ministries and their leadership discussed critical issues concerning food export irregularities, healthcare transformation, and other pressing matters.
Dr. Pate highlighted the significance of resolving longstanding issues between the two ministries, emphasizing their importance in achieving President Bola Tinubu’s vision for national development.
“This meeting is bringing two sectors that are ordinarily not closely connected. But there are specific things that have prompted me to reach out, which has to do with the exportation of food and its regulation. The second element is the role of the regulatory body, NAFDAC, in constraining or enabling the trade that we have across various borders. The third issue is the regulatory function links to our efforts to unlock the healthcare value chain. These are issues that have been lingering, and I thought we should use this opportunity to come together since we are all on the same team,” Pate stated.
He underscored the ministries’ shared commitment to achieving significant progress in these areas.
In response, Dr. Oduwole affirmed that the ministries would collaborate on resolving issues tied to the healthcare value chain.
“I was briefed about the draft policy and medical devices of syringe and needles manufacturing in Nigeria. We have to identify the areas and resolutions and to identify areas of the ministry’s concern on the draft policy document and were we supposed to emit in further meeting with my ministry. The meeting is to discuss how to deliberate on the merit and demerit of the policy, as well as the issues of manufacturing. They are indeed under the eight-point agenda of Mr. President,” she noted.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Adeyeye, urged Nigerians to adopt a new mindset regarding the exportation of goods, stressing the importance of effective regulation to avoid international rejection.
Technical Aide to the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Mr. Temiloluwa Oluokun, highlighted lingering regulatory challenges, including the denomination of permit fees in foreign currencies.
He advocated for progressively shifting fees to Naira to shield exporters from exchange rate volatility.
“Some elements of those fees are not denominated in local currency. It is good to progressively shift all the fees to the local currency to protect our exporters from exchange rate altogether,” Oluokun explained.
He also called for a review of the timeline for processing certificates and increased private sector participation.
“The recommendations are clear to revisit the export regulation 2024 with very wide industry consultation to balance oversight with efficiency altogether,” he added.
Director of the Federal Produce Inspectorate Service, Mr. Dafang Sule, appealed to the Health Ministry for assistance in training officers on advanced equipment to address pesticide residues in sesame seeds.
Following extensive deliberations, the ministries agreed to form a joint team tasked with addressing the discussed challenges. The team will reconvene to finalize resolutions.
