In a bid to foster a robust and sustainable food safety system in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Association of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) have pledged to strengthen collaboration.
This development emerged during the 2024 End-of-Year Stakeholders Dialogue and Feedback Session held in Lagos.
The dialogue, now in its third annual edition, focused on creating a stronger food safety culture and addressing challenges faced by regulators and manufacturers in ensuring high-quality and safe food supplies across Nigeria.
In a statement sent to Africa Health Report (AHR) on Sunday, the NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Mrs. Eva Edwards, Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), emphasized the collective nature of ensuring food safety. “Food safety is a shared responsibility,” she stated. “We have a moral duty to safeguard the health of our communities. This session serves as a platform to address concerns, exchange insights, and work together to enhance our food safety system,” she added.
The meeting highlighted the importance of feedback from industry players, with Prof. Adeyeye emphasizing that the agency values contributions in shaping its regulatory policies. She underscored ongoing initiatives like risk categorization of food establishments and digital food traceability systems aimed at modernizing food safety processes.
“Our desire is to create a food safety ecosystem that is proactive, transparent, and resilient,” Adeyeye stated, urging industry players to work closely with regulators to set new benchmarks for food safety.
AFBTE Technical Committee Chairman, Mr. Fred Chiazor, lauded NAFDAC’s approach, noting that the agency has adopted a more strategic and collaborative stance. “Things have changed in NAFDAC,” Chiazor said. “We are no longer in the era of policing. We are thinking strategically and working together to improve standards.”
The session also addressed manufacturers’ concerns regarding product formulation changes, with NAFDAC assuring participants that each application is thoroughly reviewed to ensure nutritional integrity.
Both parties expressed optimism about leveraging this partnership to build trust and enhance the quality of food consumed in Nigeria.
“Together, we can set new benchmarks for food safety in Nigeria,” Adeyeye concluded.
