NEPC leads inter-agency team to UK over Nigerian export rejects

A statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by Mr Ndubueze Okeke, Head Corporate Communications, NEPC, said that export rejects constitute a major constraint to the growth of the non-oil export sector.

According to Okeke, among the agencies participating on the fact-finding mission are the National Food, Drug and Administration Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).

Others are Nigerian Customs Service NCS, National Aviation Handling Company, Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited, Federal Produce inspection Service and Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria.

Okeke quoted the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, as having said that cases of rejection had resulted in stricter inspection regime on Nigerian exports in the importing countries.

“In some cases this has led to the suspension or ban of some products.

“It also attracts unfavourable international media attention, gives the country a negative image as well as constitutes financial burden to the exporter.

“The exporters have to bear the cost of either reshipping the banned product to Nigeria or destroying the product,” he said.

Okeke said the objective of the five–day visit is to provide Nigerian export-regulatory and facilitating agencies the opportunity of observing the processes of agricultural commodities import procedures.

He said the agencies would also interface with port health and food import regulatory agencies at the Border Control Points (BCPs) in the UK.

Other areas to be visited by the team, according to him are, Southampton Port, Spitalfields Market, a one-stop aggregation and distribution centre for imported food in the UK.

The team, he said will also visit the Food Standards Agency (FDA) and the parliament among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) Niyi Adebayo recently inaugurated a Technical Committee to address incidences of export rejects.