By BONIFACE AKARAH

Nigeria has joined other African countries in Cairo, Egypt, to push for stronger cooperation among food regulators as the continent grapples with food fraud, climate-related risks, technological changes and expanding intra-African trade.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in a statement dated October 7, 2026 and signed by its Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, said its Director-General, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, led a five-member delegation to the Third African Food Regulatory Authorities Forum (AFRAF).

The three-day forum, held from September 30 to October 2, was 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).

Organised by the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS), the forum was held under the theme “Advancing Africa’s Integrated Food Regulatory Future.”

The meeting brought together heads of African food regulatory authorities, Regional Economic Communities, Codex contact points, development partners and private-sector representatives to discuss regional sanitary and phytosanitary coordination, risk-based oversight, food innovation, laboratory capacity, risk analysis and Codex engagement.

In her opening remarks, Adeyeye said food safety challenges could no longer be addressed by individual countries working in isolation because African food systems were increasingly interconnected.

She cited food fraud, climate-related challenges, technological innovation and growing intra-African trade as reasons for stronger continental cooperation among regulators.

“Regulators must move beyond working alongside one another to working with one another,” Adeyeye said.

She added: “We are ready to work with fellow African regulators, the African Union Commission and our development partners to advance practical initiatives that will strengthen food regulatory systems in Africa.”

Adeyeye also called for science-based, risk-based and transparent regulatory systems backed by investment in regulatory capacity, laboratory infrastructure, digital technologies, human resources and surveillance.

She said regulatory convergence should produce practical benefits through timely information sharing, mutual learning, stronger analytical capacity and strategic harmonisation of requirements.

At the forum, NAFDAC presented Nigeria’s approach to food safety regulation and control, highlighting the agency’s shift from routine control to risk-based regulation.

The presentation also outlined NAFDAC’s preventive approach through Good Hygiene Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), as well as its use of laboratory, surveillance and complaint data as regulatory intelligence.

Other areas highlighted included traceability, product recall and enforcement capacity, alongside digital platforms such as NAPAMS, PIDCARMS and LIMS.

NAFDAC also outlined its preparedness for emerging food safety risks, including climate variability, food fraud and antimicrobial resistance.

The agency presented regulatory cooperation and reliance as part of its approach to promoting safe intra-African trade under its vision of “Safe Food. Resilient Food Systems. Healthier Nigerians.”

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.

Adeyeye reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to contribute its experience, technical expertise and institutional capacity to the continental food safety agenda.

She said NAFDAC would continue working with African regulators, the African Union Commission and development partners on practical initiatives aimed at strengthening food regulatory systems across the continent.