Nigeria sets up residue-standards task force to protect farm exports
Nigeria has created a Technical Working Group on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards to reduce export rejections linked to MRL and sanitary and phytosanitary non-compliance.
Nigeria’s federal government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards in an effort to reduce the rejection of the country’s agricultural exports in foreign markets. The trigger was a series of export setbacks caused by non-compliance with maximum residue limits and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. The new group was announced in Abuja on June 16, 2026.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Aliyu Abdullahi said the initiative is meant to strengthen food-safety systems and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural trade. He said repeated export rejections have already caused economic losses, damaged buyer confidence and reduced opportunities for farmers, exporters and agribusiness operators across the value chain.
The task force will focus on pesticide residues, contaminants and broader product-quality management. Abdullahi said growing concerns over food safety require a coordinated, science-based and multi-sector response. That is why the group brings together representatives from government institutions, regulatory agencies, academia, research organizations, the private sector, commodity associations and development partners.
Permanent Secretary Marcus Ogunbiyi said agriculture remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy through its role in food security, employment, foreign-exchange earnings and rural development. He warned that a rising number of export rejections tied to residue non-compliance is undermining Nigeria’s export ambitions and directly threatening the livelihoods of farmers and agribusiness operators.
Task force chair Lateef Oladimeji said the group’s mandate includes reviewing existing standards, harmonizing national rules with international benchmarks and strengthening laboratory capacity for monitoring and enforcement. The ministry also listed specific assignments: identify relevant agencies for reviewing policies and guidelines, develop survey tools on pesticide residues and contaminants in priority crops, diagnose regulatory and operational gaps, and recommend actions to close those gaps.
The working group is expected to submit its report to the minister within two months. If the recommendations are acted on, Nigeria expects not only fewer export rejections, but also better product quality, stronger consumer protection, higher export earnings and lower post-harvest losses linked to restricted access to premium markets.