Nigeria’s food safety regulator, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has intensified enforcement against prohibited agricultural chemicals after seizures worth more than ₦800 million (approximately $485,000) across four states, while fresh findings of excessive pesticide residues in some bean samples have raised concerns about the safety of food reaching consumers.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed the enforcement figures at a media briefing in Lagos in October 2026, warning that banned, unregistered, falsified and improperly used pesticides continue to pose risks to public health, agricultural production and the environment.
The agency said the seizures valued at more than ₦800 million were made in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states during 2025. Separate enforcement operations subsequently uncovered additional prohibited chemicals in other parts of the country, pointing to a supply-chain problem that extends beyond individual retailers or farmers.
Among the substances targeted are paraquat, chlorpyrifos and atrazine. NAFDAC said the applicable phase-out periods for these chemicals had ended by January 1, 2026, making the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale and use of the affected products illegal under its completed regulatory measures.
Yet the products continue to surface in enforcement operations. Between September 2024 and July 2026, operations in the North-West resulted in the seizure or interception of 2,974 cartons of paraquat-based pesticides valued at approximately ₦148.7 million ($90,100), alongside 120 cartons of chlorpyrifos-based products worth more than N17 million ($10,300)
In Kebbi State, a separate operation intercepted 5,619 cartons containing 67,428 litres of paraquat and 500 cartons of atrazine-based products. NAFDAC also sealed four unauthorised pesticide and agrochemical manufacturing facilities in Bichi, Kano State, in July 2026. Officials reportedly found unlabelled products, bulk chemicals and packaging materials associated with illicit production.
The crackdown is also addressing how pesticides are used after they enter the agricultural system. NAFDAC disclosed that a market study detected pyrethroid and dimethoate residues above permitted safety limits in some bean samples. The agency warned that chemicals approved for treating crops in the field cannot automatically be used to preserve harvested produce against storage pests.
Improper application of otherwise approved pesticides can also create food-safety risks. Applying excessive quantities, spraying crops for which a product is not authorised, mixing chemicals incorrectly or harvesting before the prescribed waiting period has elapsed can leave harmful residues on produce.
These practices have implications beyond consumer health. Nigeria’s agricultural traders and exporters may face rejected consignments, financial losses and difficulties meeting the residue limits required by importing markets. NAFDAC has offered interim testing for export products to encourage compliance and reduce the risk of rejection.
To strengthen enforcement, the agency said it was expanding its investigation and enforcement zonal offices from three to six and had trained more than 2,000 agro-input dealers on pesticide authenticity and responsible handling. It is also working with other government institutions and law-enforcement agencies to identify illegal supply networks and pursue offenders.
NAFDAC urged farmers to buy pesticides from legitimate agro-input dealers, follow product labels, apply only recommended quantities, and observe prescribed intervals between spraying and harvesting. It also warned against storing chemicals near food or animal feed and reusing empty pesticide containers for domestic purposes.
NBF Insight
Nigeria’s pesticide challenge is both a regulatory enforcement problem and a weakness in the food-production system. Seizing illegal chemicals is necessary, but the continued discovery of prohibited products after their phase-out deadlines raises questions about border controls, local manufacturing oversight, market surveillance, and the accountability of distributors.
The issue also demonstrates why food safety cannot begin only when produce reaches a market or laboratory. Farmers need accessible guidance on approved products, affordable safer alternatives, and practical support for managing pests without endangering consumers or their own health. Meanwhile, traders and processors need reliable systems for verifying produce safety, particularly in value chains such as beans that are important to household diets and domestic commerce.
For Nigeria’s agricultural sector, stronger pesticide enforcement should be measured not only by the value of seizures but also by reductions in illegal products, improved compliance among farmers and dealers, and fewer food consignments exceeding permitted residue limits. The ultimate objective is a system in which farmers can protect their crops, consumers can trust the food they buy, and Nigerian produce can compete in markets with demanding safety standards.
