Nigeria Pledges Faster Inspections For Agro-Exports To Boost Business Ease

News in brief:– Nigeria is expediting inspection and certification procedures for agricultural exports to simplify the process and attract more businesses to the sector. – The initiative aligns with broader efforts to streamline export procedures and to enhance the export environment, reduce processing time, and address challenges such as illegal operators on federal highways. The Nigerian government, through the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), has committed to accelerating inspection and certification procedures for agricultural exports. This move aims to simplify the exporting process while attracting more businesses to the sector. It aligns with the efforts of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council to streamline export procedures. Meantime, the announcement comes on the heels of Godwin Audu taking over as the acting Comptroller-General of NAQS following the expiration of Vincent Isegbe’s tenure in December 2023. In his statement, Audu outlined his priorities for the agency, emphasising the facilitation of agricultural exports and ease of doing business in the sector. He stated that the agency is committed to enhancing the export environment by expediting inspection and certification services, streamlining application processes, and automating quarantine procedures. Subsequently, these measures aim to ease the burden on agro-exporters and significantly reduce the processing time for export documentation. He also pledged to optimise operations at interstate control stations to minimise delays in transporting agricultural commodities in recognition of the issue of double taxation. Speaking further, the new acting Comptroller-General stated that his agency is working together with stakeholders will address and eliminate illegal operators causing bottlenecks on federal highways. Beyond streamlined procedures, Audu highlighted the importance of fostering discipline, order, and inclusivity within the organization to ensure the development of staff and equal opportunities for all personnel. This commitment to improving the export experience and fostering a transparent and efficient environment within NAQS is expected to attract more businesses to the agricultural export sector. It is expected to potentially boost Nigeria’s economic growth and food security.