CropLife Nigeria Demands Crackdown on Banned Pesticides Still in Circulation

News in Brief: 

— CropLife Nigeria has called on NAFDAC, security agencies and other regulators to crack down harder on banned pesticides such as paraquat and chlorpyrifos, which it says are still being imported, sold and used across the country. 

— The group warned that continued circulation of the banned chemicals threatens farmers' health, food safety and Nigeria's ability to sell agricultural produce internationally.

CropLife Nigeria (CLN) has called on the federal government to take urgent action against the continued importation, distribution and sale of banned pesticides across the country.

The industry group for manufacturers, formulators, importers, consultants, distributors, farmers and users of pest control products warned that the trend endangers farmers' health, food safety and Nigeria's agricultural exports.

Speaking at a press conference, Martins Awofisayo, CLN president, declared that the organisation was troubled by the continued circulation of paraquat, diquat, atrazine and chlorpyrifos.

These chemicals, whose manufacture, importation, distribution and use have been prohibited by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as part of a phased ban that took effect between 2024 and 2025.

Awofisayo revealed that this included combination products containing the banned active ingredients. He noted that their continued availability undermines Nigeria's regulatory framework, exposes farmers and consumers to health risks, and threatens the country's ability to meet food safety standards required by international buyers.

CLN members collaborate with NAFDAC to develop alternative crop protection products to replace the banned pesticides, aiming to soften the impact of the ban on farmers who previously relied on them.

Group Calls for Tighter Border and Market Enforcement

In a statement, CLN urged NAFDAC, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Farm Inputs Support Services (FISS) Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), other security agencies, state governments and relevant stakeholders to tighten enforcement against the trade in banned pesticides.

The group specifically called for stronger surveillance and intelligence-led inspections at land borders, ports and other entry points to stop illegal imports, alongside more frequent inspections of agrochemical markets nationwide to identify and remove banned products from circulation.

CLN also demanded swift investigation and prosecution of individuals and companies involved in importing, distributing, or selling banned pesticides, and called for closer collaboration between NAFDAC, NESREA, FISS, Customs, security agencies and neighbouring countries to disrupt cross-border smuggling networks.

Awareness and Traceability

The organisation called for sustained public awareness campaigns to teach farmers about the dangers of buying banned pesticides and to encourage them to source agrochemicals only from NAFDAC-authorised distributors. It also recommended stronger product traceability systems to prevent banned pesticides from re-entering the market after they have been removed.

CLN added that it remains committed to working with NAFDAC, NESREA, FISS and other stakeholders to strengthen pesticide regulation. It stressed that firm enforcement would protect Nigerian farmers, consumers, and the international reputation.