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The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is leading an interagency team to the United Kingdom (UK) in an effort to reduce the number of export rejects as part of a comprehensive plan to resolve the problem once and for all.
Without a doubt, export rejection has been a significant barrier to the expansion of the country's non-oil export economy.
The National Food, Drug and Administration Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), National Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), and Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited are some of the organizations taking part in the fact-finding mission (SAHCOL). Others include the Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria (FACAN) and the Federal Produce Inspection Service (FPIS) (FACAN).
Dr. Ezra Yakusak, the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC and the team's leader, bemoaned the rejection cases' impact on the harsher inspection regime for Nigerian exports in importing nations, which in some cases resulted in the suspension or ban of certain products.
He disclosed this to journalists in Abuja, adding, “it also attracts unfavourable international media attention, gives the country a negative image, as well as, constitutes financial burden to the exporters who have to bear the cost of either reshipping the banned product to Nigeria or destroying the product.”
In an effort to solve the difficulties encountered when importing food from Nigeria to the UK, the team is anticipated to undertake an interactive session with several Nigerian food importers in the UK.
You may recall that Niyi Adebayo, the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment (FMITI), recently established a technical committee to examine the instances of export denials in order to suggest remedies to the issue.
Source: The Guardian
