The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) participated in the Third African Food Regulatory Authorities Forum (AFRAF), held in Cairo, Egypt. The Director-General, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, FAS, led a five-member delegation to the three-day event.
The National Food Safety Authority of Egypt hosted the meeting, in partnership with Africa’s Regional Economic Communities, African food competent authorities, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
The programme was organised by the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS) under the theme “Advancing Africa’s Integrated Food Regulatory Future”. The Forum brought together heads of African food regulatory authorities, Regional Economic Communities, Codex contact points, development partners and the private sector.
Discussions covered regional sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) coordination, risk-based oversight, food innovation, laboratory capacity, risk analysis and Codex engagement. The meeting that took place from 30 September to 2 October 2026 was also expected to produce regulator-led recommendations to support the Food Safety Strategy for Africa and the operationalisation of the Africa Food Safety Agency.
In her remarks at the opening ceremony, Professor Adeyeye commended the African food regulators and partners who have sustained AFRAF since its establishment. She stressed that food safety cannot be addressed within national borders alone, given interconnected food systems, food fraud, climate-related challenges, technological innovation and the growth of intra-African trade.
She said: “Regulators must move beyond working alongside one another to working with one another-,” saying further that, “We are ready to work with fellow African regulators, the African Union Commission and our development partners to advance practical initiatives that will strengthen food regulatory systems in Africa.”
She called for science-based, risk-based and transparent regulatory systems, supported by investment in regulatory capacity, laboratory infrastructure, digital technologies, human resources and surveillance. She also called for regulatory convergence that delivers tangible gains through timely information sharing, mutual learning, stronger analytical capacity and strategic harmonisation of requirements.
At the Forum, NAFDAC presented Nigeria’s direction in food safety regulation and control. The presentation highlighted:
the Agency’s shift from routine control to risk-based regulation;
an emphasis on prevention through Good Hygiene Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP);
the use of laboratory, surveillance and complaint data as regulatory intelligence;
traceability, recall and enforcement capacity;
digital platforms, including NAPAMS, PIDCARMS and LIMS;
preparedness for emerging risks such as climate variability, food fraud and antimicrobial resistance.
The presentation also set out the Agency’s position on regulatory cooperation and reliance as a route to safe intra-African trade, under the vision of “Safe Food. Resilient Food Systems. Healthier Nigerians.”
Professor Adeyeye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to contributing its experience, technical expertise and institutional capacity to the continental agenda. She pledged NAFDAC readiness to work with fellow African regulators, the African Union Commission and development partners on practical initiatives to strengthen food regulatory systems in Africa.
