WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/686 
6 April 2006 
 (06-1631) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPS AGREEMENT 
 
Information for the Workshop on 31 March 2006
 
 
Communication from Nigeria  
  
 The following communication, received on 31 Marc h 2006, is being circulated at the request 
of the Delegation of Nigeria.  
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INTRODUCTION 
 
1. Nigeria currently exports agricultural products  with a total annual value of between US$400-
600 million to the ECOWAS, the European Union, the United States, India and Japan.  The main 
products exported are:  cocoa, gum Arabic, sesame s eed and shrimps.  Other export products include:  
cashew, ginger, vegetable oils and mangoes. 
PARTICIPATION IN MEETINGS OF THE SPS COMMITTEE 
 
2. The representatives of Nigeria participate in meetings of the SPS Committee on a fairly 
regular basis.  The participation is usually undertak en by relevant government Ministries and agencies 
responsible for the implementation of the SPS Agre ement.  These institutions or bodies include the 
representatives of the Federal Ministry of Comme rce from the capital and/or Geneva based trade 
representatives, Federal Ministries of Agriculture a nd Rural Development, Health, and Environment.  
Others include representatives of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National 
Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). 
3. Regarding meetings of the SPS Committee, we receive information relating to notices of 
meetings, reports of informal and formal meeti ngs of the SPS Committee, activities of international 
standards bodies such as Codex, IPPC and OIE.  We also receive information on the activities of UN 
bodies that deal with SPS measure s such as the FAO, WHO and other donor agencies like the 
European Communities, DFID and USAID.  Info rmation on the activities of the above-mentioned 
organizations is usually received in hard copi es which are forwarded from the SPS secretariat.  
Occasionally, we also receive information on SPS meetings from the WTO website. 
NATIONAL SPS COMMITTEE 
 
4. Nigeria is yet to have a SPS National Committ ee.  However, following a study conducted by 
the Commonwealth Secretariat on Nigeria’s food saf ety and quality control review, which organized a 
workshop in Abuja in September 2005, it was reco mmended that a National Food Safety Management G/SPS/GEN/686 
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  Committee (NFSMC) be set up.  Membership should be drawn from SON, NAFDAC, the Nigerian 
Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal Produce Inspection Service (FPIS). Others involved are:  the Federal Ministry of Commerce, wh ich is expected to also serve as the Secretariat; 
the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Foreign Affair s and the Nigerian Customs Service, as well as a 
representative of export associations. 
5. Nigerian exporters normally find out about their trading partners' new SPS requirements 
through the following SPS regulatory agencies:  SON,  which is involved mainly in the setting up of 
all analytical standards for Nigerian exporters to ensure conformity with international standards; 
NAFDAC, which is mandated to re gulate and control the manufacture, export, import, distribution, 
advertisement, sale and use of foods and chemical s/drugs;  FPIS, which has remit to assess products 
or commodities for export on the bases of quality,  weight, fumigation and packaging (QWFP); and 
NPQS, which is mandated to carry out phytosanitary inspections, treatments and certification of plants 
and plant products (inclusive of  foodstuffs, fruits and vegetables).  NPQS’s activities conform to the 
requirements of IPPC. 
6. The mechanisms which can be created to ensure that stakeholders are informed in a timely 
manner include encouraging them to belong to releva nt trade associations of producers and growers as 
well as the umbrella body of the Association of Ni gerian Exporters (ANE).  By so doing, members 
will become conversant with each other and be ready to share vital SPS information.  As trade bodies, 
their views in responding to SPS no tifications would be respected. 
7. The various trade associations should have nati onal spread such that the local chapters are 
able to cater for all relevant stakeholders.  They  should hold regular meetings to review, from time to 
time, SPS requirements. 
8. Information about SPS requirements can be transm itted to groups outside of capital by way of 
workshops, seminars and regular mee tings of various trade associati ons.  The agencies responsible for 
SPS implementation can also embark on sensitization and mobilization activities through their state or 
local offices. 
NATIONAL PLANNING ON SPS AGREEMENT 
 
9. The External Trade Department of the Fe deral Ministry of Commerce initiated the 
establishment of the National Focal Point (NPF) on the implementation of Nigeria’s rights and 
obligation under the WTO.  The NFP is the S ub-Committee on Agriculture which is mandated to 
recommend to the main Committee the implementation strategy of the SPS Agreement.  To guarantee 
effective participation of all rele vant stakeholders, the methodology used in developing this planning 
was due to the encouragement of the pub lic and private sector partnerships.   
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS 
 
10. Nigeria identifies its technical assistance need s through the demand-driven and supply-driven 
approaches based on its experience at any given time.  For instance, upon the outbreak of avian 
influenza in some states of Nigeria in February 2006, Nigeria submitted a notification to the WTO on 
the situation and solicited technical assistance fro m donor agencies which responded promptly.  These 
agencies include the FAO, WHO, the European Union, DFID and USAID. 
11. Nigeria’s experience in both the request and supply of SPS-related technical assistance has 
been rewarding and challenging.  The interna tional donors donated some quantities of personal 
protective equipment and about 10,000 doses of th e drug Tamiflu in case of possible occurrence of 
human infection of AI.  It is challenging to note that Nigeria still requires some form of assistance in  G/SPS/GEN/686 
 Page 3 
 
 
  equipping its five veterinary teaching hospitals , training of veterinary personnel and providing 
adequate compensation to farmers whose birds have been culled. 
12. The supply and demand of technical assistance can be most effectively matched if a priority 
list of areas of needs is drawn up and both part ies partake in the implementation process.  If 
duplication of donor efforts is to be avoided, request  and grant for such assistance should be circulated 
amongst donor agencies.  The SPS Committee may also have to monitor requests and grants in this 
regard to avoid duplication. 
CONCLUSION 
 
13. In conclusion, Nigeria is yet to benefit fro m the implementation of the SPS Agreement in 
terms of its fair share of market access for its ag ricultural products to de veloped countries.  While 
Nigeria reiterates its efforts to uphold Good Manufact uring Practice and Good Hygienic Practice, it 
calls on developed country trading pa rtners to assist in the establishment of Hazard Analysis Critical 
Control Point (HACCP) systems and the National Enquiry Point. 
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