NAFDAC seizes ₦800m in banned pesticides across Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its crackdown on illegal agrochemicals in Nigeria, seizing banned pesticides valued at over ₦800 million. The seizures took place across Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states.

In Kebbi State, enforcement operations intercepted 67,428 litres of the prohibited pesticide paraquat and 5,000kg of atrazine. Additional enforcement in the North-west between September 2024 and July 2026 resulted in the seizure of 2,974 cartons of paraquat-containing pesticides worth approximately ₦148.7 million.

NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye warned that all phase-out periods for products containing paraquat, chlorpyrifos, and atrazine ended by January 1, 2026. Consequently, these products can no longer be legally manufactured, imported, or sold. The agency also restricted the 100-millilitre pack size of dichlorvos in open markets and supermarkets.

Beyond illegal distribution, the agency raised alarms regarding food safety after market studies detected residues of pyrethroids and dimethoate in bean samples above permitted safety limits. Adeyeye emphasized that improper pesticide use, including excessive application or failure to observe waiting periods before harvest, poses severe health risks to consumers and farmers, including potential death.