The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) has stressed the urgent need for stronger plant biosecurity measures to protect Nigeria’s food systems, agricultural productivity, and international trade.
Speaking during a press conference to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Plant Health, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, said plant health remains critical to Nigeria’s agricultural development, food security, environmental protection, and economic growth.
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Addressing stakeholders, researchers, farmers, exporters, importers, and representatives of agricultural institutions,
Dr. Isegbe noted that the annual event provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of protecting crops and ecosystems that sustain millions of Nigerians.
According to him, “the 2026 theme, “Plant Biosecurity for Food Security,” directly reflects the growing realities facing agriculture globally and locally, including climate change, pest outbreaks, invasive species, and declining crop productivity”.
He explained that “plant biosecurity involves collective measures aimed at protecting plants and agricultural value chains from pests, diseases, and other biological threats capable of affecting food production, public health, and trade”.
The NAQS boss further stated that pest and disease outbreaks “continue to reduce crop yields, weaken farmer incomes, affect food availability, and limit market access for Nigerian agricultural products”.
He warned that contamination, poor post-harvest handling, weak surveillance systems, and inadequate pest risk management could expose Nigeria’s agricultural sector to severe economic losses and reputational damage in international trade.
Dr. Isegbe highlighted several threats currently affecting Nigeria’s agricultural sector, “including Cassava Brown Streak Disease, Maize Lethal Necrotic Disease, Goss’s Wilt, aflatoxin contamination, and invasive pests such as the Fall Armyworm”.
He revealed that the Fall Armyworm, first reported in Nigeria in 2016, has continued to cause devastating losses in maize and other crops, stressing that “the pest reproduces rapidly and remains difficult to control”
The Comptroller-General explained that “a single female moth can lay between 250 and 300 eggs, making infestation spread quickly across farms and agricultural production systems”.
He also called for “stronger collaboration among government agencies, researchers, farmers, traders, and private sector stakeholders to improve plant health management and food security nationwide”
According to him, “safeguarding plant health goes beyond farming activities, as it is closely linked to storage, transportation, export certification, market access, and consumer safety”.
Dr. Isegbe reaffirmed that the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service “remains committed to strengthening early detection systems, improving inspection procedures, and ensuring that imported and exported agricultural products meet international phytosanitary standards under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)”.
He urged all stakeholders to take collective responsibility in “protecting Nigeria’s agricultural value chains and ensuring sustainable food production for future generations”.
The event formed part of activities to mark the 2026 International Day of Plant Health celebration in Nigeria.
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