NAFDAC set to register, certify premises of local chemical manufacturers

*The health regulatory agency urges the manufacturers of chemical products in Nigeria to explore the international market with chemical products to boost the country’s foreign exchange earnings

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In order to boost the West African country’s economy, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it is ready to register, certify premises of local chemical manufacturers in Nigeria.

Mr. Olusayo Akintola, Resident Media Consultant at NADFAC, in a statement Sunday, June 20 said Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General of the agency, disclosed this during a virtual stakeholders’ meeting with chemical manufacturers.

The NAFDAC Director-General stated that the aim of the stakeholders meeting was to sensitise, enlighten and create awareness on the current trends in the regulation of the manufacture of chemicals with emphasis on the need to be listed as a Chemical Manufacturer in Nigeria.

The statement also noted that NAFDAC agreed with the manufacturers of chemical products in Nigeria to explore the international market with chemical products to enhance the country’s foreign exchange (Forex) earnings.

Adeyeye said that the product would also serve as a potent catalyst for industrial growth.

According to her, the current focus of the NAFDAC management was to ensure the agency’s regulatory activities was in line with international best practices.

The Chemical Evaluation and Research Directorate of the agency has the mandate to ensure that only the right quality chemicals are manufactured, imported, exported, distributed, sold and used in the country, Adeyeye noted.

She also said that the Directorate had put in place effective regulations and guidelines for sound chemical management in Nigeria.

The statement said: “The NAFDAC Act empowers the agency to undertake appropriate investigations into production premises and raw materials for food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water and chemicals.

“The Act also empowered the agency to establish relevant quality assurance systems, including certificates of the production sites and of the regulated products,” she said.

Adeyeye further stressed that the law also compels all handlers of chemicals to adhere strictly to all the stipulated guidelines for sound chemical management in order to safeguard health and protect the environment.

The Chief Executive Officer of Unikem Industries Limited, producers of Ethanol from cassava, Mr. Uzor Kalu and Mr. Paul Audu, Managing Director of Roychem Industries Limited, said that the hitherto bottlenecks in procuring NAFDAC Import Permit has disappeared.

They both noted that since Adeyeye became NAFDAC boss, import permit and removal certificates were often done easily and have a plan to activate the year.

The introduction of online platform via electronic process by Adeyeye had made application and processing of the vital import documents completed in the last quarter of every year, while manufacturers already have the documentation done in readiness for the New Year.