As part of the Comptroller General’s Human Capital Development initiative, seven officers from the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) paid a courtesy and assessment visit to the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA), a counterpart agency with a similar mandate in plant health regulation and biosecurity.
The NAQS delegation was warmly received by the Director General of TPHPA, Prof. Joseph C. Ndunguru, who expressed his delight at their visit. In his remarks, Prof. Ndunguru fondly recalled his previous engagements in Nigeria through research collaborations with Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, highlighting his longstanding connection to Nigeria’s agricultural research community.
The visit aimed to evaluate the operational framework and facilities of TPHPA to identify potential areas for strategic collaboration between the two agencies. During discussions, Prof. Ndunguru proposed several partnership initiatives, including:
Joint training of scientists and crop inspectors on Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) diagnosis and surveillance
Strengthening TPHPA’s e-certification systems through shared expertise
Support in managing emerging pests and diseases affecting horticultural crops in Tanzania
Technical backstopping for critical agricultural challenges
Exchange visits to enhance knowledge and skills
Following the meeting, the NAQS officers were taken on a guided tour of the TPHPA headquarters, where they assessed the laboratories and other critical facilities essential to the agency’s operations.
This visit marks a significant step toward enhancing regional cooperation in plant health, pest management, and trade facilitation between Nigeria and Tanzania.
