ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s trade and health regulators have agreed to form a united front to oversee the production of medicines and food within the country’s Free Trade Zones (FTZs).
The partnership was announced in a statement signed by Martins Odeh, the Head of Corporate Communications for the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA). It follows a high-level meeting in Abuja between the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, and the Managing Director of NEPZA, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi.
Closing the ‘Regulatory Gap’
The collaboration aims to address a long-standing “misalignment” in how pharmaceutical products and consumables manufactured in the zones are monitored before entering the Nigerian market.
Professor Adeyeye warned that the country has a responsibility to protect its citizens from “fake drugs and consumables” infiltrating markets from both known and unknown sources. She stressed that NAFDAC would insist on rigorous testing and compliance with international standards across all production lines within the zones.
“We can close this gap through excellent facility management and improved inspection,” the NAFDAC boss said, noting that the move would ultimately support Nigeria’s industrialisation.
Eliminating ‘Blind Spots’
Responding to the overture, Dr. Ogunyemi admitted that regulating the more than 900 enterprises operating across Nigeria’s 63 free trade zones is not without its difficulties.
He reassured the public that NEPZA is committed to ensuring the zones do not become “blind spots” for illicit activities. “We will allow NAFDAC to perform its regulatory functions because the public’s health depends on it,” Dr. Ogunyemi stated, adding that global compliance would enhance the reputation of Nigeria’s export activities.
Technical Committee Formed
As a immediate outcome of the talks, an eight-member technical committee has been established to:
- Identify factors hindering seamless regulation.
- Strengthen joint oversight of imports and exports within the FTZs.
- Improve the safety of food and efficacy of drugs entering the customs territory.
The move is seen as a significant step toward harmonising trade incentives with public health safety, ensuring that Nigeria’s “economic gateways” remain both productive and secure.
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