NAFDAC Pushes Continental Food Safety Cooperation, Seeks Stronger African Regulatory Alliance

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called for stronger collaboration among African food regulatory authorities to tackle emerging food safety threats and promote safer intra-African trade.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, made the call while leading a five-member Nigerian delegation to the Third African Food Regulatory Authorities Forum (AFRAF), held in Cairo, Egypt, from September 30 to October 2, 2026.

Hosted by Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority in partnership with Africa’s Regional Economic Communities, African food competent authorities and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the three-day forum was organised by the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS) under the theme, “Advancing Africa’s Integrated Food Regulatory Future.”

The forum brought together heads of African food regulatory authorities, representatives of Regional Economic Communities, Codex contact points, development partners and private-sector stakeholders to deliberate on critical issues affecting food safety across the continent.

Discussions focused on regional sanitary and phytosanitary coordination, risk-based regulation, food innovation, laboratory capacity, risk analysis and Codex engagement. The forum was also expected to produce regulator-led recommendations to support the Food Safety Strategy for Africa and the operationalisation of the Africa Food Safety Agency.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Adeyeye commended African food regulators and development partners for sustaining AFRAF since its establishment, stressing that food safety challenges could no longer be effectively addressed within individual national borders.

She said Africa’s increasingly interconnected food systems, food fraud, climate-related risks, technological innovation and growing intra-African trade had made stronger regulatory cooperation imperative.

“Regulators must move beyond working alongside one another to working with one another,” Adeyeye said, adding that NAFDAC was ready to collaborate with fellow African regulators, the African Union Commission and development partners on practical initiatives to strengthen food regulatory systems across the continent.

The NAFDAC boss advocated science-based, risk-based and transparent regulatory systems backed by increased investment in regulatory capacity, laboratory infrastructure, digital technologies, human resources and surveillance.

She also called for greater regulatory convergence through timely information sharing, mutual learning, stronger analytical capabilities and strategic harmonisation of regulatory requirements.

At the forum, NAFDAC presented Nigeria’s evolving approach to food safety regulation, highlighting the Agency’s shift from routine control towards risk-based regulation and preventive measures based on Good Hygiene Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.

The Agency also highlighted the use of laboratory, surveillance and complaint data as regulatory intelligence, as well as its strengthened traceability, recall and enforcement mechanisms.

Its presentation further showcased digital regulatory platforms, including NAPAMS, PIDCARMS and LIMS, while outlining Nigeria’s preparedness to address emerging threats such as climate variability, food fraud and antimicrobial resistance.

NAFDAC also presented regulatory cooperation and reliance as key tools for promoting safe intra-African trade under its vision of “Safe Food. Resilient Food Systems. Healthier Nigerians.”

Adeyeye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to contributing its regulatory experience, technical expertise and institutional capacity to the continent’s food safety agenda.

She pledged NAFDAC’s readiness to work with African regulatory authorities, the African Union Commission and development partners to develop practical initiatives capable of strengthening food safety systems and protecting public health across Africa.If you want,