‘We are very ignorant, we don’t read’ — NAFDAC DG fires back at Nigerians over fake products, explains agency’s role

Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has criticised what she described as widespread ignorance among Nigerians about the responsibilities of agencies involved in regulating food and products.

Adeyeye made the remarks in a video shared online by BusinessDay TV on Sunday while explaining NAFDAC’s role in regulating food from “farm to fork.”

“We are ignorant in this country, we are very ignorant. We don’t read. We don’t understand,” she said.

According to the NAFDAC boss, several government agencies are involved in ensuring food safety, with different responsibilities covering various stages of the food production process.

She explained that NAFDAC’s mandate primarily covers processed and semi-processed foods, rather than fresh produce sold in markets.

“NAFDAC mandate is for processed or semi-processed foods. So the oranges you buy in the market, we don’t control the oranges you buy in the market,” Adeyeye said.

She said the Ministry of Agriculture has the primary responsibility for fresh produce but noted that NAFDAC becomes involved in the area because it regulates pesticides.

“However, if somebody puts pesticides on that orange, we have to train the farmer,” she said, adding that the agency works with the Ministry of Agriculture to educate farmers on the proper use of pesticides.

Adeyeye also linked some of the challenges to illiteracy, saying Nigeria has about 56 per cent illiteracy and that some farmers may struggle to understand instructions on pesticide labels.

“Sometimes our people don’t understand, and they think the more you put, the better,” she said.

The NAFDAC director-general acknowledged that the agency cannot reach every farmer across the country, given the large number of people involved in agriculture.

“We cannot go to one million farmers in Nigeria. I don’t know how many millions we have. NAFDAC cannot do that,” she said.

Adeyeye stressed that while the Ministry of Agriculture is primarily responsible for fresh produce, NAFDAC still has a role to play in educating farmers because of its regulatory responsibility for pesticides.