SON, ECOWAS-GIZ STRENGTHEN REGIONAL FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS TO COMBAT AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s food safety framework through the second phase of a capacity-building workshop held at its Laboratory Complex in Ogba, Lagos.
The training, organized in collaboration with the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade-GIZ Programme and hosted by SON, aims to build the capacity of food safety and quality inspectors in detecting and managing aflatoxins in agricultural products.
Director General/Chief Executive of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, welcomed participants to the workshop, emphasizing its importance in enhancing Nigeria’s food safety management systems. Represented by the Head of Codex, Nutrition, and Tobacco Division, Mr. Y.B. Mohammed, Dr. Okeke highlighted the success of the program’s first phase, which provided comprehensive insights into Nigeria’s regulatory framework, HACCP principles, food safety risk analysis, and the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement in West Africa. The initial phase concluded with field visits to supermarkets and abattoirs.
Building on this foundation, the second phase is focused on fostering regional collaboration to harmonize sanitary inspection practices and improve aflatoxin testing capabilities.
Dr. Okeke further cautioned that aflatoxin contamination continues to be a major impediment to agricultural exports, posing significant risks to farmers, exporters, and the national economy. He advocated for a holistic approach that includes rigorous supply chain testing, farmer education, improved storage infrastructure, and robust public-private partnerships.
In her remarks, the representative of the Comptroller General of the National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr. Joy Ichue, expressed deep appreciation to GIZ and ECOWAS for their consistent support. She stressed the growing complexity of global agricultural trade and the urgent need for harmonized SPS procedures to reduce export rejections and facilitate regional trade integration.
“The future of ECOWAS as a cohesive trading bloc hinges on our ability to trust one another, share data, and align with international standards,” Dr. Ichue stated.
Participants, particularly from the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service and relevant farmers’ associations, were encouraged to actively engage, share their experiences, and contribute to building a more resilient food safety system across the region.
A key highlight of the event was the formal presentation of test kits to the National Agricultural Quarantine Service.
