The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), have renewed their partnership to strengthen regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical and consumable products manufactured within Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones.
The agreement was reached during a courtesy visit by the
NAFDAC’s Director- General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPZA, Olufemi Ogunyemi, at the NEPZA headquarters in Abuja.
Adeyeye said the visit was aimed at deepening cooperation between both agencies to support NAFDAC’s regulatory responsibilities, particularly in overseeing the importation, exportation, production, and distribution of pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics by businesses operating in the zones.
“I wish to, on behalf of my team of directors, express our appreciation to you, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, the Managing Director/CEO of NEPZA, and your team for this kind gesture in welcoming us,’’ she said.
“Let me, however, state that we must view this meeting as a responsibility we have to the country to protect citizens from fake drugs and consumables that are infiltrating our markets from known and unknown destinations.
“NAFDAC has always insisted on conducting appropriate tests and ensuring compliance with the standard specifications designated and approved by the Council to effectively control the quality of regulated products across the relevant industries in Nigeria,’’ the NAFDAC boss said.
Adeyeye stressed the importance of the Free Trade Zone scheme to Nigeria’s industrialisation and economic growth, noting that stronger efforts were needed to ensure the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals and the safety of food products entering the customs territory from the zones.
“NEPZA and NAFDAC can fix this misalignment by jointly insisting on compliance. We can close this gap through excellent facility management and improved inspection across the production lines,’’ Prof Adeyeye said.
Responding, Ogunyemi welcomed NAFDAC’s initiative to tackle alleged irregularities affecting the supply of quality medical products and consumables from the Free Trade Zones.
He described the scheme, which currently comprises 63 zones and more than 900 enterprises, as a major gateway for Nigeria’s economic development, while acknowledging regulatory challenges.
“We need a joint effort to address some of the irregularities. We will allow NAFDAC to perform its regulatory functions because the public’s health depends on it.
According to the NEPZA boss, the Authority has always been at the vanguard of disallowing the zones to be used as blind spots for illicit activities.
He stated, “We fully endorse this partnership and collaboration, which has the potential to enhance the scheme’s global compliance across all production and export activities for the benefit of the country.’’
As part of the renewed collaboration, both agencies confirmed the establishment of an eight-member technical committee to examine factors hindering the seamless implementation of their regulatory functions within the Free Trade Zones.
