The Aviacargo Roadmap Committee presented a new five-step export pathway designed to track and trace exports, reducing the rejection of Nigerian produce abroad. Ambassador Ikechi Uko revealed this during the committee’s visit to the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) alongside the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Cargo Development Directorate.
This visit aims to strengthen air cargo’s role in Nigeria’s economy and position Nigeria as a top African exporter. NAQS plays a crucial role in the vision for agro-export improvement.
Uko explained that the five-step export pathway ensures produce comes from registered farms, passes through licensed handlers, and undergoes thorough vetting by NAQS, NDLEA, and Customs.
“The newly developed Aviacargo export pathway streamlines the export of Nigerian agricultural products. Produce must originate from a registered farm, certified by NAQS or the Federal Ministry of Agriculture,” Uko said.
The second step involves a registered known shipper capable of aggregating and consolidating produce for export. The third step requires a regulated agent licensed as KC3, ensuring compliance with third-country regulations.
Before export, goods must go through a certified handling company adhering to global standards, likely holding an RA3 certification. NAQS, NDLEA, and Customs will then vet the goods to meet export requirements before being transferred to a licensed airline.
This structured pathway enables accurate tracking and tracing, significantly reducing the risk of Nigerian agricultural products being rejected abroad due to non-compliance with international standards.
Uko informed the NAQS Director-General of identified gaps within the export pathway. He emphasized addressing logistics challenges, such as cold chain processes and contamination risks during transit. FAAN must enforce strict licensing and establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) and service-level agreements (SLAs) for all stakeholders.
Comptroller General of NAQS, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, expressed gratitude to the FAAN team for the progress updates. He confirmed NAQS’s commitment to seamless export handling and unveiled SOPs developed for exporters. He also requested FAAN’s support in addressing challenges NAQS faces in fulfilling its mandate.
The FAAN team included Director Mr. Lekan Thomas and GM Business Development Chief Hycienth Ngwu. The Aviacargo team featured experts like Dr. Alex Nwuba, Dr. Sanwoolu of NAFDAC, and NAQS representatives.
