Association pushes for pesticide training
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agrochemical industry have renewed calls for the passage of a comprehensive pesticide law, as CropLife Nigeria ramps up training and regulatory advocacy to tackle food safety concerns
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agrochemical industry have renewed calls for the passage of a comprehensive pesticide law, as CropLife Nigeria ramps up training and regulatory advocacy to tackle food safety concerns and boost export competitiveness.
The renewed push followed the election of Martins Awofisayo as President of the association at its 2026 Annual General Meeting in Lagos, where industry leaders warned that weak enforcement and poor compliance with safety standards continue to threaten Nigeria’s agricultural trade and public health.
Awofisayo reiterated the association’s commitment to pesticide stewardship and environmental safety. He noted that CropLife Nigeria will continue to collaborate with international partners.He said working with government to strengthen regulatory frameworks and expand training across the value chain remains critical to improving food safety, protecting the environment and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global agricultural markets. During the forum, stakeholders renewed calls for the passage of a comprehensive pesticide law, warning that weak regulation and poor compliance with safety standards are undermining food security and export competitiveness.
Outgone President of CropLife Nigeria, David Achimugu, said the proposed legislation would address critical gaps across the pesticide value chain, from product registration to application in the field. “The goal is to have an all-encompassing law to govern the pesticide industry in Nigeria that will address all issues and challenges of the industry, from product registration to Good Agricultural Practices involving mandatory training and certification of agro-dealers, agricultural extension workers and other relevant stakeholders,” he said.
He added that the bill would strengthen advocacy and provide legal backing for industry engagement with both domestic regulators and international partners. “The bill, when established, will also provide a veritable platform for advocacy backed by law, which is especially important in our engagement with the international community and policy formulators,” Achimugu said.
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He noted that misuse of agrochemicals, poor adherence to label instructions and limited technical knowledge among operators continue to pose significant risks.
“As a result of reported incessant cases of food contamination and rejection of agricultural commodities due to high pesticide residues arising from gross misuse and abuse of instructions on product labels, coupled with poor knowledge and skills of stakeholders, CropLife Nigeria, in collaboration with NAFDAC, set up a special-purpose stewardship committee to train agrochemical dealers across Nigeria, and we have covered close to four regions to date,” he said.
The newly elected Vice President of the association, Moses Mordi, emphasised the growing importance of compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), particularly for exporters navigating different international standards.
“Last year, we held a major seminar where we brought all stakeholders together and sensitised them on the implications of Maximum Residue Limits and informed them of the relevant standards. It is not one-size-fits-all because Europe has its standards and the United States has its standards, so if you are sending products, you need to understand the allowable limits,” Mordi said.
He stressed that MRL compliance is not only an export issue but also a domestic food safety concern. “MRL not only affects exporting countries, but it also affects local consumption. We have seen the implications in Nigeria, including cases involving cowpea and improper observance of re-entry periods, so as a body, we are seriously pursuing continuous training and stakeholder engagement,” he said.
Mordi also urged government authorities to take a more active regulatory role. “We are saying to the government, please come and regulate us and give us a pesticide law so that all these issues can be addressed,” he said.
Echoing these concerns, the founding President of CropLife Nigeria, Patrick Ikemefuna, described the absence of a comprehensive pesticide law as a major structural weakness.
“Nigeria is one of the few countries without a comprehensive pesticide law, and there is a structural problem because regulation is not properly aligned with the Ministry of Agriculture. Codex has set standards for minimum residue levels for every crop, and if proper pesticides are not used, agricultural produce such as cocoa will be rejected,” he said.
Ikemefuna noted that while the association has intensified training and stewardship initiatives, voluntary compliance alone is insufficient in a country as large as Nigeria. “We train farmers and dealers to ensure proper application, but Nigeria is too large for voluntary compliance alone, which is why we are calling on the government to provide proper regulation to bring everyone together,” he added.
At the meeting, members elected Martins Awofisayo as President, Moses Mordi as Vice President, and Dr Abdullahi Ndarubu as Chairman of the Technical Committee, Uzoma Nwagbaraocha,General secretary;Festus Akintunde,Financial Secretary; : Moses Mordi,Chairman Membership; Mike Agbata, Treasurer; Adewole Fatokun,Auditor; Esther Adebayo,Publicity chairman; David Achimugu (past president) as Ex-official marking the end of a four-year tenure that began in 2022.
