The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr. Vincent Isegbe, today welcomed the Director General of Nigeria’s Women Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (WCCIMA), Dr. Weyinmi Eribo, at the NAQS Headquarters in Abuja.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Eribo expressed gratitude for the warm reception, highlighting that the purpose of her visit was to advocate for greater participation of women in trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She underscored the vital role NAQS plays in facilitating the export of agricultural produce and emphasized the importance of collaboration with NAQS to raise awareness and encourage women’s involvement in agro-export.
Dr. Isegbe, in his response, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed NAQS’s commitment to partnering with WCCIMA to empower women in international trade. He stressed the necessity of adhering to international sanitary and phytosanitary measures to safeguard Nigeria’s reputation in the global market.
He further disclosed that NAQS has developed an Export Certification Value Chain (ECVC) for 30 crops, aimed at boosting agricultural exports and strengthening food security in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Copies of the ECVCs, he assured, will be made available to all Nigerians upon their official launch.
As part of the collaboration between NAQS and WCCIMA, Dr. Isegbe pledged to deploy relevant officers to train WCCIMA members in their various clusters, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive in the agro-export sector.
