The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has pledged to support the Nano Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NMSMEs) to enable it grow the nation’s economy.
A statement by NAFDAC resident media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, on Tuesday stated that the agency Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, made the disclosure at a meeting recently in Lagos.
According to the D-G, NAFDAC will continue to drive collaboration and understanding between NMSMEs and its regulatory authority with a view to empowering them in terms of the next step for their businesses.
Adeyeye said that NAFDAC remain committed to meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the business community, adding that the gains and impact of subjecting products and services to regulatory scrutiny was vital.
The D-G said that such regulatory scrutiny was all about protecting businesses and their environment.
‘’When I see you, I see myself because I was raised up trading with my mother, with my grandmother selling things. I know how hard it is to put money together and trade.
“I know how hard it is or the anxious moments that the average trader has, wondering whether he or she is going to have profit,” she said.
She said that NMSMEs was capable to drive the economy of Nigeria, adding that Nigeria had a recession few years ago and still came out of it despite all the odds and the challenges of the mega industry.
“’How did we come out of it quickly?’’ asking rhetorically, as she said that NMSMEs sub-sector was the magic wand that sustained the economy during the turbulent times.
She said that this was possible because of the mandate from the agency on food, packaged water, cosmetics and others.
Adeyeye said that three of the agency’s mandate are under NMSMEs along with chemicals herbals regulations, adding that the agency does not take NMSMEs matter lightly.
She said that operators of NMSMEs should always focus on one product that is well accepted by the consumers rather than manufacturing many products at the same time where none would be accepted.
She admonished NMSMEs operators to dream big by entering the global market with their products, adding that commercial opportunities and benefits are abound for products that have been subjected to regulatory scrutiny.
According to her, one of such opportunities is the possibility of exporting such goods and that exportation comes with quality of such goods.
She said that the agency is on ground to work with NMSMEs to take its trading to an higher level, adding that they must not only think of what to consume, but what that could be exported.
Adeyeye disclosed that the agency was already talking with the United Kingdom Department of Business and Trade to build a bilateral relationship where Nigerian products that are exported to the UK would be of quality having been registered with NAFDAC.
She regretted the incidence of rejected food exports from Nigeria at the point of entry due to bad quality, adding that if such food items were subjected to NAFDAC scrutiny, the incidents would have been curtailed.
’”Please let’s think of the future or where we can take our products to, Nigerians abroad are concerned about what we are doing in terms of food that we are exporting.
‘’Some of our people cannot live without eating Eba, (Cassava flour) Pounded yam or Amala (Yam flour). Some people cannot cook without palm oil. There are a lot of opportunities for us to tap into,” she stressed.
She insisted that the agency must continue to do testing of food and others to make sure that whatever is put out there first, is not going to harm whoever is taking it.
The D-G assured NMSMEs of continued support of NAFDAC, emphasizing that staff of the agency are being trained not to compromise, and to hold customers with high esteem based on quality management system.
She equally assured business owners who are desirous of entering the marketplace with NAFDAC regulated products of maximum support, saying the agency would provide them with necessary guidance, and support.
