The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has called for stronger cooperation among African food regulators to tackle food fraud, climate-related risks and other threats to food safety across the continent.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, made the call at the Third African Food Regulatory Authorities Forum in Cairo, Egypt, where she led a five-member Nigerian delegation, according to a statement signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, on Wednesday.
The three-day forum, held from September 30 to October 2, brought together heads of African food regulatory authorities, regional economic communities, Codex contact points, development partners and private-sector representatives.
Hosted by Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority in partnership with African regional economic communities, food regulatory authorities and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, the meeting was organised by the Global Food Regulatory Science Society under the theme, “Advancing Africa’s Integrated Food Regulatory Future.”
Adeyeye said the increasing movement of food and expansion of intra-African trade made it difficult for countries to address food safety threats in isolation.
She said food fraud, climate change, technological advances and interconnected food systems required regulators to work more closely across national borders.
“Regulators must move beyond working alongside one another to working with one another,” Adeyeye said.
She added that NAFDAC was ready to work with African regulators, the African Union Commission and development partners to strengthen food regulatory systems across the continent.
The NAFDAC boss called for science-based, risk-based and transparent regulation backed by stronger laboratories, surveillance systems, digital technology and skilled personnel.
She also advocated greater regulatory convergence, saying timely information sharing, mutual learning, stronger analytical capacity and harmonised requirements would help improve food safety and facilitate safer intra-African trade.
At the forum, NAFDAC presented Nigeria’s approach to food safety regulation, highlighting its shift from routine control to risk-based regulation and greater emphasis on prevention through Good Hygiene Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.
The agency also highlighted its use of laboratory, surveillance and consumer complaint data as regulatory intelligence, alongside traceability, product recall and enforcement systems.
NAFDAC said its digital platforms, including NAPAMS, PIDCARMS and LIMS, were also being used to strengthen regulatory oversight.
The agency identified climate variability, food fraud and antimicrobial resistance as emerging risks requiring stronger preparedness and cooperation among African regulators.
The forum was also expected to produce regulator-led recommendations to support the Food Safety Strategy for Africa and the operationalisation of the Africa Food Safety Agency.
Adeyeye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to contributing its technical expertise and institutional experience to the continent’s food safety agenda.
She said NAFDAC would continue to collaborate with African regulators, the African Union Commission and development partners on practical measures to build stronger food regulatory systems.
