1. OVERVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY (SPS) STANDARDS AND CONSTRAINTS IN NIGERIA PRESENTED BY: IBRAHIM NAIBBI NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR NIGERIA

2. INTRODUCTION Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Standards under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement deals with regulatory measures applied to protect human (food safety and zoonotic diseases), animal and plant health with the aim of harmonizing SPS measures such as control and inspection procedures and risk assessment methods and facilities of food and agricultural products (raw, semi-processed and processed) in international trade or supply chain.

3. SPS Regulatory Agencies in Nigeria In Nigeria there is a multiplicity of agencies which handle various aspects of SPS measures. These agencies include the following: The Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry which is the focal point for WTO in Nigeria. Federal Produce Inspection Service (FPIS), inspects and ensures that all agricultural produce destined for exports or local processing meets prescribed international quality standards.

4. SPS Regulatory Agencies in Nigeria Cont. Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) is the custodian of all National and International Standards on Food Safety in Nigeria. It coordinates the elaboration, review, adoption and adaptation of food safety standards through the active involvement of relevant stakeholders and publishes the standards for implementation after necessary stakeholder sensitization SON has the capacity for and does training in ISO 22000 Food Safety Standards, HACCP and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) in Nigeria and has trained about 200 personnel nationally within the last three (3) years

5. SPS Regulatory Agencies in Nigeria Cont Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMA&RD) registers cocoa pesticides screened and recommended to it by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and enlists them in the official approved lists of pesticides for use on cocoa in Nigeria. The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), has the national mandate to evaluate and recommend novel cocoa pesticides from various groups that fall within the European Union (EU) standards so that replacement could be made easily in a situation where they (recommended pesticides) become unavailable in the local market or to combat resistance problems that may arise as a result of over- dependence on a particular class of insecticides.

6. SPS Regulatory Agencies in Nigeria Cont National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), controls and regulates imports and exports of packaged, processed and semi-processed foods through documentation, inspection, registration, sampling, laboratory testing and enforcement of compliance to good Hygiene Practice (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) at food production factories. It also serves as the chair and Secretariat of General Purposes Committee of the National Codex Committee.

7. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria The Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry which represents the country in the WTO is the focal point for all WTO issues including SPS Standards in Nigeria. The Ministry enforces SPS measures through its parastatals, the Federal Produce Inspection Service, Standards Organization of Nigeria as well as other Government agencies.

8. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. The Federal Produce Inspection Service (FPIS) conducts two-tier mechanism of produce inspection. Primary grading and an evacuation check test is carried out by trained officers of State Produce Inspection Service (SPIS) who issue Evacuation Certificate. The FPIS on the other hand, conducts arrival check tests taking into consideration inspection of weight of the consignment, moisture content, inspection of packaging, sampling and disinfestations of produce warehouses. It further conducts inspection and quality controls at major seaports in Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Warri and Calabar. Based on 3% sample, it assesses the quality (Q), weight (W), fumigation (F) and packaging (P) of raw or cured agricultural produce and issue QWFP Certificate. It utilizes the laboratories of NAFDAC for quality assurance.

9. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria The Standards Organization of Nigeria, as custodian of national and international standards of food safety in Nigeria, undertakes factory inspection for the implementation of food safety standards and issues certification mark under the mandatory conformity assessment program for all locally manufactured food products in Nigeria. SON has a laboratory for testing mycotoxin and is currently in the process of upgrading its laboratories towards accreditation for micro and metallic contaminants in food and agricultural produce. It is also the Codex Alimentarius contact point in Nigeria and maintains a national library of Codex standards. It is also WTO/SPS enquiry points in Nigeria.

10. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implements SPS standards through registration of recommended and screened pesticides in Nigeria. The Ministry also enlists such pesticides in the official approved list of pesticides for use on cocoa in Nigeria. The Ministry then forwards the registered approved pesticide lists to NAFDAC so that they can issue import permits for such products to importers.

11. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) screens and recommends pesticides for registration by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It also evaluates the pesticides starting with product analysis, laboratory and large scale field trials thereby determining the quantitative residues of the active ingredient of these pesticides in cocoa beans obtained from farms which had been routinely spread with the pesticides. CRIN also recommends cocoa pesticides application equipment to ensure that they conform to international standards

12. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) The NAQS implements SPS standards in Nigeria through the following ways: IMPORT INSPECTION Maintains over 46 entry/exit points at International airports, seaports, land borders, general post offices and courier hub centres for port inspection, treatment (if necessary) and detention. Issues plant import permit for all plant materials (raw and semi- processed), soil, biocontrol agents, solid wood packaging materials and other regulated articles (e.g. artifacts).

13. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. Inspection of crops during active growth, agricultural commodities in warehouses and storage facilities prior to certification. Maintains Post-Entry Quarantine Station and various laboratories for insect, fungi, virus, bacteria, nematode and tissue culture at Ibadan and zonal headquarters. Conduct pest survey to monitor the presence and spread of plant pest of quarantine importance.

14. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. EXPORT INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION Handles request for Phytosanitary inspection for the presence of pathogen and pests on agricultural commodities for export and determines whether they meet SPS conditions of the importing countries. Issues Phytosanitary Certificate vouching that the consignment is free from injurious pests. Disinfestation of the consignments such as fumigation, seed dressing, heat treatment etc. and indicated on the Phytosanitary certificate.

15. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. OTHER SPS ACTIVITIES Formulation of quarantine regulation on crop by crop basis as guide for plant imports. Conduct of Pest Risk Analysis to serve as technical justification of SPS regulation. Formalize linkages with other SPS agencies and scientific organization (e.g. national agric. research institutes, universities and international organizations). National Contact Point for International Plant Protection Commission (IPPC) and member of Standard Setting Committee of IPPC.

16. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. National Agency for Food and Drug Control (NAFDAC) controls and regulates imports and exports of packaged, processed and semi- processed foods through documentation, inspection, registration, sampling, laboratory testing and enforcement of compliance to Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP); Regulates and controls the importation and exportation of pesticide formulations and chemicals; Undertakes the registration of pesticide formulations and grants marketing authorization to importers and manufacturers; Serves as the Chair of Codex in Nigeria and runs the Secretariat of the General Purposes Technical Committee of the National Codex Committee;

17. The roles of the various agencies in the implementation of SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. Attends to the following key SPS issues: Contaminants in Food, Veterinary Drugs Residues, Pesticide Residues, Food Additives, Food Hygiene and other issues such as Labeling, Nutrition, Methods of Analysis and Sampling, Certification and Inspection, etc; Has a dedicated pesticide formulation and pesticide residue laboratory; Issues certificate of manufacture and free sales for registered regulated products to exporters and Health Certificate for Semi Processed Products and Receives and handles RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) Notifications from EU

18. Challenges in Implementing SPS standards in Nigeria Cross border smuggling of banned and unregistered pesticides and agrochemicals through porous borders Use of banned pesticides by farmers Low literacy level of farmers Use of faulty equipment for spraying Wrong timing of application of pesticides Overuse of pesticides/ calendar spraying Chaotic pesticide distribution network Inadequate capacity of staff of the government Agencies Inadequate funding of government Agencies Threat to lives of staff of Agencies involved in enforcement activities Inadequate synergy amongst Agencies of government Non organization of the players in horticultural and other agricultural products into export oriented group

19. Challenges in Implementing SPS standards in Nigeria Cont. Lack of implementation of standards on food and agricultural items, thereby exposing the populace to low quality of products and invariably exportation of poor quality products. Private sector reluctant to or not empowered to take the lead or make substantial investment by procuring modern facilities to improve their production methods. Poor awareness of the issues related to food safety, and quality and other SPS issues by producers, exporters, farmers and commodity groups. Difficulties in the application of internationally accepted standards such as HACCP, traceability and GAP due to inadequate public amenities, poor infrastructure, bureaucracy and poor government utilities (e.g. irregular power supply, poor agricultural extension services)

20. Capacity Building on SPS Issues : In order to build capacity to effectively implement SPS issues in Nigeria, workshops, seminars and conferences are being organized continually to enhance competencies of enforcement officers. Among others are the following: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation of Nigeria. A study by West Africa Trade Hub (WATH) under the West Africa Regional Program (WARP) of USAID as a support towards the integration of the SPS systems of UEMOA (Union Economique et Monetaire Quest Africaine) and non-UEMOA countries of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West Africa) in March 2005. Training workshop on food safety standards, regulations and export trade incorporating HACCP and Traceability Principles and Practice was organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat in May 2006 at Abuja, Nigeria for policy advisers. Key SPS regulators, farmers and Commodity Associations.

21. Capacity Building on SPS Issues Cont. A regional workshop on the harmonization of SPS for non-UEMOA countries (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Conakry, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria) held at ECOWAS Commission, Abuja, in May 2007 was organized by ECOWAS and sponsored by WATH of USAID. Regional sensitization workshop on creation/strengthening of National SPS Committee in the ECOWAS member states was held in Bamako, Mali 28 February – March 5th, 2011. National Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Standards workshop, as a follow-up to Bamako workshop, sponsored by African Union Inter- African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR) in conjunction with ECOWAS was held at Lagos from 23-25th May 2011.

22. Setting up of National Food Safety Management Committee (NFSMC) In order to bring harmony and synergy to the chaotic SPS Standards implementation situation in Nigeria,the National Food Safety Management Committee was formed. The Committee consists of key SPS public regulators and private sector bodies with adequate government backing.

23. Thank You