National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a caution to operators and manufacturers within the Kano Free Trade Zone against engaging in sharp practices and manufacturing substandard products.
NAFDAC
The agency warns that such actions could seriously undermine Nigeria’s global reputation and rating.
NAFDAC’s Coordinator in Kano, Kassim Ibrahim, delivered the warning during an investors/stakeholders meeting themed: “Strengthening partnership for efficient service delivery in the Free Trade Zone.”
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Ibrahim emphasized that the agency is currently rated Maturity Level 3 (ML3) by the World Health Organization (WHO), a status earned through rigorous processes, and cannot withstand any unhealthy practices that might jeopardize this track record.
The NAFDAC Coordinator stressed that failure to meet standards in products manufactured in the zone, whether for domestic consumption or for export, does not just affect the individual companies but ultimately undermines NAFDAC and Nigeria’s credibility in global markets.
“NAFDAC is now the World Health Organization Global Benchmarking Tool, as rated Maturity Level 3… Anything they find in the importing country that falls short of the standard, NAFDAC is indirectly or directly affected because you are carrying our registration number,” Ibrahim stated. “So, it will affect our rating as a food and drug regulatory agency.”
He urged operators to maintain strict compliance with safety, quality, and efficacy standards in food and drug production, regardless of the product’s destination. “Our call to manufacturers, investors that are here in the free trade zone, is to keep to the rules and regulations or keeping to standard in order to help boost NAFDAC rating and the rating of Nigeria as a whole in our export.”
Ibrahim also announced that plans are underway to execute unannounced inspections within the zone to strengthen surveillance and effectively tackle sharp practices.
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Earlier at the meeting, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, reported that the Kano Free Trade Zone has generated N18.8 billion as revenue in 10 months.
Ogunyemi noted that the zone generated N1.8 billion while the Customs within the zone generated N17 billion, marking a significant improvement over the previous year. He described the theme of the forum as timely, as it seeks to eliminate operational lacunas and administrative barriers hindering smooth and efficient operations.
