GAIN trains SMEs on NAFDAC products certification
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has trained owners of agro-allied Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) modalities to add value to their products in order to meet the requirements of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Speaking at the three-day training on Tuesday in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Mrs Mercy Olorunfemi, Project Manager, Business Support of GAIN described the Alliance as Swiss-based founded with the aim of tackling malnutrition.
She explained that the training became imperative as according to her, most agro-allied products in Nigeria are being sold without NAFDAC registration thereby limiting the scope of their market.
Olorunfemi added that they are offering technical assistance to the businesses they are working with to meet NAFDAC regulatory requirements.
“We understand that it is always difficult for business to register with NAFDAC due to lack of understanding of the process, most of the businesses we are working with, so, we brought in NAFDAC to explain the procedure for registration to the SMEs around.
“This will help to provide more access to safe and nutrition food in our market places and the entire country,” she added.
She further explained that products are not safe if not certified.
Olorunfemi added that the training was also aimed at transforming food system to deliver more nutritious food to the people.
“We believe that everyone should have access to safe food, so we work to deliver specific solutions to the daily challenge of food insecurity faced by poor people,” she said.
On his part, Shaba Mohammed, North-Central Director of NAFDAC said that the agency intended to use the training to empower SMEs on how to register their products to get certification to operate without limit.
He explained that the thorough screening and inspection of facilities by the agency is to ensure that only food products that are safe for consumption are allowed into the market.
