The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has denied constituting a wedge to the growth and development of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, stating that NAFDAC would rather continue to render its unflinching support to enable MSMEs act as a catalyst to economic rejuvenation.
The NAFDAC boss has also insisted that the timeline for the processing of products for registration at the agency is 90 days.
This disclosure was made by Adeyeye while reacting to the allegation that MSME operators were finding it difficult to get the required certification for NAFDAC registration. She stated that the average MSME entrepreneur would testify that the relationship between them and the agency had tremendously improved and become very cordial in the recent past.
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According to the statement by NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, MSMEs contribute up to 45% of total employment and up to 33% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in emerging economies.
Adeyeye said, “MSMEs are the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization and inclusive economic development; and the most important component of industrialization as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the federal government.”
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She stated that the significance of MSMEs in the nation’s economy could not, therefore, be over-emphasized.
On the timely delivery of services and registration, Adeyeye listed the measures aimed at improving on delivery timelines to include deployment of a robust e-registration platform called NAFDAC Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS), which has the capacity for monitoring and assessment of timelines.
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However, she said that timely responses to issues raised with applications were required, adding that some of the compliance issues frequently observed ranged from labelling lapses, to inadequate documentation, increased product analysis failure rate and product rejects, especially with highly sensitive products like detection of cyanide in cassava-related products.
What you should know
NAFDAC was established by Decree No. 15 of 1993 as amended by Decree No. 19 of 1999, and now the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 is to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of Food, Drugs, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, Packaged Water, Chemicals and Detergents (collectively known as regulated products). The agency was officially established in October 1992.
On its product registration, NAFDAC said that the registration of food products takes not more than 90 days from acceptance of application; and registration of drug products takes not more than 120 days from acceptance of applications. Also, the variation of product registration takes not more than 60 days.
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In as much as non-compliance to regulations in terms of labelling lapses and poor docume tations standards contribute to delay in the approval processes. From personal experience delays in by some NAFDAC laboratories in analysing products has a major impact on registration timelines.