The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in collaboration with the Aviacargo Roadmap Committee, has established a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) to improve and streamline the export of agricultural products through Nigeria’s airports.
This partnership was reinforced during a recent visit by the newly established Directorate of Cargo Development Services at FAAN, led by Mr. Lekan Thomas, to the NAQS headquarters in Abuja. Dr. Vincent Isegbe warmly welcomed the FAAN delegation, reflecting the mutual commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s agro-export capabilities.
Mr. Thomas emphasized the critical role of the newly created cargo directorate in driving the growth of air cargo within Nigeria, thereby contributing significantly to the national economy. He expressed the directorate’s commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leading agricultural exporter in Africa.
During the meeting, the Aviacargo Roadmap Committee, led by Mr. Ikechi Uko, presented a detailed export framework aimed at streamlining the process of exporting agricultural products via Nigerian airports. The proposed framework includes a five-step process beginning with the registration of farms with NAQS or the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
The process involves a registered known shipper aggregating the produce, followed by a regulated agent ensuring compliance with export standards. A licensed handling company, preferably one with RA3 certification, manages the final stage before export. Before clearance by the airline, NAQS, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Customs, will inspect the goods to ensure traceability and reduce the risk of rejection in international markets.
Mr. Uko acknowledged the logistical challenges, particularly in transporting produce from farms to airports, and stressed the need for a robust cold chain infrastructure and stringent contamination prevention measures. He also highlighted the importance of converting unknown goods into known goods through agent licensing at various levels within the export ecosystem.
Mr. Thomas underscored the importance of strict licensing, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service level agreements (SLAs) for all stakeholders in the export value chain. He mentioned that the cargo directorate is actively working on initiatives to address these critical issues.
In response, the Comptroller General of NAQS expressed strong support for the partnership and outlined the agency’s existing SOPs for exporters. He revealed that NAQS has developed comprehensive guidelines for exporting various agricultural products from Nigeria and sought FAAN’s support to overcome the challenges in fulfilling its mandate.
The meeting concluded with an agreement between FAAN, the Aviacargo Roadmap Committee, and NAQS to conduct trial exports from four selected airports using the developed framework. These trials, scheduled for October or November, will involve NAQS-registered farms in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, and Jos, with the support of the respective state governments.
