NAFDAC warns banned pesticides remain in circulation despite phase-out
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned that prohibited pesticides remain in circulation in Nigeria despite the expiry of applicable phase-out periods, raising fresh questions about enforcement, food safety and how restricted chemicals continue to reach farmers and markets.
NAFDAC identified pesticide products containing chemicals including paraquat, chlorpyrifos and atrazine among those affected by regulatory restrictions.
The agency said illegal importation, unauthorised manufacturing and informal distribution continue to undermine enforcement even after applicable phase-out periods ended by January 1, 2026.
Enforcement continues after phase-out
Recent enforcement figures cited by NAFDAC indicate that restricted pesticide products have continued to surface.
The agency reported interceptions involving 5,619 cartons — equivalent to 67,428 litres — of paraquat-based products.
NAFDAC also reported 500 cartons of atrazine-based products.
IDNN is omitting a kilogram equivalent for the atrazine consignment because current source reports conflict on the stated weight.
The regulator also reported that four unauthorised agrochemical facilities were sealed in Bichi, Kano, in July 2026.
NAFDAC further said enforcement operations between September 2024 and July 2026 resulted in the interception or seizure of 2,974 cartons of paraquat-based pesticides, valued at about ₦148.7 million, and 120 cartons of chlorpyrifos-based products valued at more than ₦17 million.
Those figures represent agency enforcement data and should not be read as a complete measure of the volume of banned pesticides circulating nationally.
₦800m seizure happened in 2025
A separate seizure of banned agrochemicals valued at more than ₦800 million occurred in 2025, involving enforcement activity across Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states.
That figure is historical context and does not represent a fresh ₦800 million seizure in October 2026.
Keeping the date clear is essential because presenting the older figure without context could wrongly suggest that NAFDAC announced a new seizure of that value this month.
Residues detected in some bean samples
NAFDAC has also cited a recent market study in which pesticide residues, including pyrethroids and dimethoate, were detected above permitted limits in some bean samples.
The finding raises a food-safety concern but does not establish that all beans, all farmers or all markets are affected.
Health risks associated with pesticide exposure depend on the chemical involved, dose and exposure conditions. Claims about cancer, infertility or other health effects should therefore remain tied to NAFDAC’s specific warnings and exposure context.
How are banned products still reaching markets?
The central accountability question is how prohibited pesticide products continue to enter the supply chain after their phase-out periods have ended.
NAFDAC says illegal importation, unauthorised production and informal distribution remain among the channels sustaining circulation.
The agency says it is strengthening border controls, market surveillance and dealer training.
But continued interceptions raise questions about enforcement gaps, product traceability and whether farmers and retailers have clear ways to distinguish approved products from prohibited ones.
Farmers and consumers need clear guidance
The public consequence extends beyond seizure figures.
Farmers depend on pesticides to protect crops, while consumers rely on regulators to ensure chemicals entering the food chain are approved and used within permitted limits.
That makes practical guidance critical: which products are prohibited, which alternatives are approved, how dealers can verify registration status and what action consumers should take when regulators identify unsafe residues.
The implementation test is now whether border enforcement, market surveillance, dealer regulation and residue monitoring can make the prohibition effective in practice.
