The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illegal pesticides, seizing banned agrochemicals worth more than N800 million in four states amid growing concerns over food safety, toxic chemical residues and threats to public health.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, warning farmers, agrochemical dealers and distributors against the use, sale and circulation of prohibited pesticides.
Adeyeye said the agency seized banned agrochemicals worth more than N800 million in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states in 2025, while subsequent enforcement operations uncovered additional consignments of prohibited chemicals across the country, reports Saturday Independent.
She disclosed that NAFDAC also intercepted 5,619 cartons, equivalent to 67,428 litres, of banned paraquat and 500 cartons weighing 5,000 kilogrammes of banned atrazine in Kebbi State.
According to her, enforcement operations across the North-West between September 2024 and July 2026 resulted in the seizure, interception or custody of 2,974 cartons of pesticides containing banned paraquat, valued at approximately N148.7 million.
Adeyeye explained that all applicable phase-out periods under NAFDAC’s completed regulatory measures had ended by January 1, 2026, meaning the affected products could no longer legally be manufactured, imported, distributed, sold or used in Nigeria.
The prohibited products include pesticides containing paraquat, chlorpyrifos and atrazine.
The agency has also restricted the 100-millilitre pack size of dichlorvos, prohibiting its importation, manufacture and sale in open markets and supermarkets.
Beyond the illegal importation and distribution of banned chemicals, Adeyeye warned that the misuse of approved pesticides could expose farmers, consumers and the environment to dangerous chemical residues.
She cited a market study on beans that detected pyrethroid and dimethoate residues exceeding safe limits, raising concerns about the potential risks associated with improper pesticide application and the safety of agricultural produce consumed by Nigerians.
According to her, dimethoate is neither approved nor effective for preserving harvested beans against pests such as weevils. She warned farmers against using pesticides indiscriminately, stressing the need to comply with approved applications, product instructions and prescribed waiting periods before harvesting crops.
She urged farmers to purchase pesticides only from legitimate agro-input dealers, follow product-label instructions, apply recommended quantities and observe the stipulated intervals between pesticide application and harvesting.
To strengthen enforcement, Adeyeye said NAFDAC was expanding its investigation and enforcement zonal offices from three to six to improve regulatory coverage across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
She added that the agency was deepening collaboration with law enforcement bodies and other government institutions to track illegal imports, remove prohibited products from circulation and prosecute offenders.
Adeyeye called on manufacturers, importers, distributors, farmers and consumers to support efforts to safeguard public health, protect the environment and ensure that Nigerian agricultural produce meets food-safety requirements.
