The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is urging food regulators in Africa to cooperate more closely to tackle food safety issues that cross national borders. This call was made by NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, during the Third African Food Regulatory Authorities Forum (AFRAF) in Cairo, Egypt.
NAFDAC led a Nigerian delegation to the three-day forum, which was organized by the National Food Safety Authority of Egypt along with various African organizations and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). The event gathered leaders from food regulatory bodies, regional economic groups, and private sector representatives to discuss important topics such as food safety coordination and innovation.
During her speech, Adeyeye emphasized that food safety problems cannot be solved by individual countries alone due to the interconnected nature of food systems and other challenges like climate change and food fraud. She stated that regulators need to collaborate more effectively to improve food safety across the continent.
NAFDAC presented Nigeria’s updated approach to food safety, which focuses on preventing issues through better hygiene and manufacturing practices. The agency also shared its use of data for monitoring food safety and its readiness to face new challenges such as climate change and food fraud.
According to Adeyeye, working together will be essential for safe trade in food products within Africa. She affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sharing its expertise and resources to enhance food safety across the continent.
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