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The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to increasing the nation’s exports of cowpeas and sesame by addressing challenges related to sanitary and phytosanitary compliance.
The government promised that it would assist in expanding local farmers’ and exporters’ access to international markets.
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, gave the assurance at a Validation Workshop for the Baseline Study on the STDF 845 Project on Wednesday in Abuja.
She highlighted the government’s efforts to align agricultural exports with international standards to reduce rejections and increase competitiveness.
She stated that Nigeria is the world’s fourth-largest producer of sesame, with Japan accounting for 40 per cent of its exports.
However, she warned that increased border controls due to excessive pesticide residues and microbial contamination have led to numerous consignment rejections.
“Our data, as detailed in our recent report at the check-in, reveals tangible figures, volumes, values, and documented instances of seizures and penalties that underscore the severe impact on our export performance and Nigeria’s standing among global exporters,” she said.
Oduwole further disclosed that Japan’s tightening regulations on pesticide residue thresholds, set to take effect in March 2025, pose an urgent challenge.
“Japan’s current stance on our Sesame exports, coupled with a threatened ban due to paraquat residue thresholds from 0.05 ppm to 0.01 ppm, calls for our immediate and coordinated response,” she stated.
She assured stakeholders that the government is actively working to address the situation, stressing, “I am happy to inform you that we are working assiduously to mitigate this action, and we will succeed.”
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nonye Ayeni, emphasised the importance of quality control and global market access for Nigerian agricultural exports.
She noted that the STDF 845 project, a three-year co-funded initiative between NEPC and the International Trade Centre, is focused on reducing pesticide residue levels and preventing Salmonella contamination in Nigerian Sesame and Cowpea exports.
“The Baseline Study of Cowpea and Sesame is critical in understanding current practices, procedures, and regulations concerning sanitary and phytosanitary standards,” Ayeni said.
She highlighted the economic impact of Nigeria’s sesame exports, noting that the international market value of sesame, which was $7.67bn in 2025, is expected to increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 2.3 per cent by 2030.
“Only last year, Nigeria exported $463.827m worth of Sesame seeds, reaffirming the huge value the commodity brings to the economic growth of the non-oil export sector.
“Nigeria is the second-largest exporter of Sesame seeds in Africa and third in the world, with key export destinations including Europe, North America, the Far East, and the Middle East,” she explained.
Similarly, she noted that Cowpea’s market value currently stands at $7.60bn and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5 per cent by 2030.
“Nigeria holds the title of the biggest producer of Cowpeas globally, and this plant plays a vital role in ensuring food security, nutrition, and income,” Ayeni added.
Oduwole pointed out important government actions to address rejection rates and enhance market availability.
These include setting up a national traceability system, enforcing good agricultural practices more strictly, and boosting teamwork with regulators such as NAFDAC, NAQS, and FMITI.
She emphasized the importance of greater pesticide monitoring, saying, “Field studies show that pesticide application in the Sesame and Cowpea value chains is primarily based on conventional, experience-driven practices, with little use of objective tools or monitoring systems. This discrepancy greatly increases the danger of exceeding Maximum Residue Levels.”
She also stressed the importance of streamlining certification processes, pointing out that exporters now face overlapping criteria from NAFDAC, NAQS, and FPIS inspections.
“A key recommendation is to streamline these processes, setting high standards not only for our export products but also for domestic markets, thereby ensuring stringent enforcement,” she concluded.
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