…Unearths unhealthy residues in beans
… Intercepts 67,428 litres of paraquat
Via Chioma Obinna
The Nationwide Company for Meals and Drug Management and Regulate, (NAFDAC), has warned that the continuing stream and misuse of banned insecticides in Nigeria pose severe threats to public well being, elevating issues over the detection of pesticide residues above authorized protection limits in some samples of beans.
The company disclosed that it had seized banned agrochemicals price greater than ₦800 million in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states in 2025, whilst a separate operation in Kebbi State resulted in the interception of 67,428 litres of paraquat, a prohibited pesticide, along banned atrazine merchandise.
NAFDAC additionally printed {that a} fresh marketplace learn about detected residues of pyrethroids and dimethoate above authorized protection limits in some bean samples, underscoring issues about the usage of agricultural chemical compounds to maintain harvested produce.
The Director-Basic of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who raised the alarm at a media briefing on pesticide use in agricultural produce in Lagos, stated the company used to be intensifying surveillance, enforcement and public schooling to rid the Nigerian marketplace of banned, unregistered, falsified and improperly used insecticides.
“NAFDAC isn’t towards the accountable use of insecticides. Relatively, the company seeks to be sure that insecticides bought or utilized in Nigeria are secure, authorized and compliant with regulatory necessities,” Adeyeye stated.
She warned that even though insecticides have been necessary for crop coverage and agricultural manufacturing, mistaken utility, over the top use and failure to look at prescribed ready classes earlier than harvesting may disclose farmers, customers and the surroundings to destructive chemical compounds.
“Wrong pesticide use may cause severe well being issues, together with loss of life. Some results would possibly not seem in an instant however can broaden step by step through the years,” she stated.
Adeyeye defined that the company’s worry prolonged past the unlawful importation and sale of prohibited chemical compounds to the misuse of authorized insecticides, which might depart unhealthy residues on meals fed on via Nigerians.
The NAFDAC boss stated the new marketplace learn about on beans printed residues of pyrethroids and dimethoate exceeding appropriate protection limits in some samples.
She defined that dimethoate used to be no longer authorized for conserving harvested beans towards pests similar to weevils, stressing that chemical compounds authorized to be used on plants within the box may no longer mechanically be used for post-harvest preservation.
Whilst sure pyrethroids have been authorized for post-harvest garage underneath authorized prerequisites, Adeyeye stated customers should practice the prescribed withholding length earlier than the produce used to be fed on.
She known commonplace pesticide misuse practices as making use of chemical compounds in amounts above really useful ranges, the use of merchandise on plants or towards pests for which they weren’t authorized, harvesting earlier than the specified pre-harvest period and combining merchandise improperly.
Different unhealthy practices, she stated, integrated storing insecticides along meals, animal feed or home items, reusing empty pesticide bins for home functions and improperly taking away chemical residues and bins.
“Meals protection starts at the farm,” Adeyeye stated, urging farmers to buy authorized merchandise, practice label directions, practice really useful amounts and practice all protection precautions.
She stated protective Nigerians from destructive pesticide residues required accountable practices around the agricultural price chain, from producers and importers to vendors, agro-input sellers and farmers.
Giving main points of the company’s enforcement operations, Adeyeye stated NAFDAC seized banned agrochemicals price greater than ₦800 million in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states in 2025.
Between September 2024 and July 2026, enforcement operations within the North-West Zone resulted within the seizure, interception or restoration of two,974 cartons of insecticides containing paraquat, with an estimated price of ₦148.7 million.
Any other 120 cartons of insecticides containing chlorpyrifos, valued at greater than ₦17 million, have been intercepted all through the similar length.
In a separate operation in Kebbi State, the company intercepted 5,619 cartons containing 67,428 litres of paraquat and 500 cartons of atrazine merchandise.
NAFDAC additionally sealed 4 unauthorised pesticide and agrochemical production amenities in Bichi, Kano State, in July 2026, the place officials reportedly came upon unlabelled merchandise, bulk chemical compounds and packaging fabrics connected to illicit manufacturing.
Adeyeye stated suspects have been arrested in reference to enforcement operations, with one case present process prosecution.
She attributed the continuing stream of prohibited insecticides in part to unlawful importation and motion throughout Nigeria’s borders, noting that merchandise banned within the nation may input thru neighbouring international locations and unauthorised provide channels.
“Those interceptions after the efficient date of the ban point out that the problem extends past residual shares to unlawful importation, unauthorised native manufacturing and distribution,” she saiid.
Adeyeye disclosed that the phase-out classes for insecticides containing paraquat, chlorpyrifos and atrazine ended on January 1, 2026.
She stated the chemical compounds may not legally be manufactured, imported, allotted, bought or utilized in Nigeria underneath the company’s finished regulatory measures.
In keeping with her, NAFDAC reviewed registered pesticide energetic components in 2022 the use of clinical proof, its Computerized Product Management and Tracking Machine database, and enter from related mavens and stakeholders.
The assessment thought to be dangers to human well being and the surroundings, appropriate nationwide laws and global necessities.
Adeyeye additionally disclosed that NAFDAC had limited the 100ml pack measurement of dichlorvos, prohibiting its importation, manufacture and open-market or grocery store sale following issues about misuse on agricultural produce and its use in suicide.
Different authorized pack sizes, she stated, remained matter to appropriate regulatory controls.
The Director-Basic stated the company used to be strengthening collaboration with govt establishments and legislation enforcement government to spot, snatch and take away unlawful insecticides from stream and prosecute offenders the place appropriate.
“No trade pastime or need for benefit will justify the unlawful importation, distribution or sale of banned or non-compliant insecticides,” she stated.
To cut back the hazards related to mistaken pesticide use, Adeyeye stated NAFDAC had skilled greater than 2,000 agro-input sellers at the accountable dealing with and alertness of agricultural chemical compounds.
She stated the company used to be additionally increasing its investigation and enforcement zonal workplaces from 3 to 6 to give a boost to regulatory protection around the nation.
Different measures come with registration and clinical evaluate of pesticide merchandise earlier than marketplace access, inspection of producing and garage amenities, border exams, marketplace surveillance, laboratory checking out and enforcement towards companies concerned about unlawful manufacturing and distribution.
Adeyeye added that NAFDAC supplied loose intervening time checking out for export merchandise to inspire compliance with appropriate protection requirements and save you consignments from being rejected in vacation spot international locations on account of pesticide residues or different regulatory violations.
She recommended producers and importers to be sure that their merchandise met regulatory necessities, whilst vendors and agro-input sellers have been recommended to acquire insecticides best thru professional channels.
Farmers have been additionally recommended to shop for from recognised agro-input sellers, learn and practice product labels, use best really useful amounts and practice prescribed ready classes earlier than harvesting.
Deputy Director of Veterinary Medication and Allied Merchandise at NAFDAC, Dr. Idayat Mudshiru, stated sustained engagement with farmers and different stakeholders remained essential to combating pesticide misuse.
“NAFDAC continues to interact farmers and related stakeholders at the accountable use and alertness of pesticide merchandise,” Mudshiru stated.
She stated the company used to be running with trade stakeholders, together with CropLife, to give a boost to public consciousness and advertise secure pesticide dealing with and alertness.
“The advocacy and schooling efforts are ongoing,” she stated, emphasising the desire for endured collaboration to offer protection to customers and the surroundings.
NAFDAC stated it could maintain enforcement, public schooling and stakeholder engagement to be sure that agricultural chemical compounds have been used according to protection necessities and that meals attaining Nigerian families met appropriate requirements.