To achieve an increase in Agro Export in the country, the new Directorate of Cargo Development Services at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
and Aviacargo Roadmap Committee have entered into a partnership with the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS).
The Directorate in view of this led the Committee on a courtesy call to the Headquarters of NAQS in Abuja.
Led by the Director, Mr. Lekan Thomas, the Team was hosted by Dr. Vincent Isegbe and his team.
The Director told the NAQS TEAM, that the Minister of Aviation created the Cargo Directorate to focus on the growth of Air Cargo in Nigeria to contribute its fair share to the Economy and move Nigeria’s position as part of the leading exporting nations in Africa.
The team, he said came to NAQS because of the importance of the agency in the new vision for improved Agro Exports in Nigeria.
In his presentation the Coordinator of the Aviacargo Roadmap committee Mr. Ikechi Uko, told the NAQS team that the committee has developed an Export Aviacargo Pathway that will form the template for future export through the airports.
He said the new pathway is a five-step process that starts from the farm.
“Any produce meant for export has to come from a registered farm.
“The farm has to be registered by NAQS or the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
“The second step will be a registered Known Shipper who can aggregate and consolidate.
“The third step is a regulated agent who is licensed to a third country as a KC3.
“The last stage before export, is through a handling company that is also licensed to global Standards very likely RA3.
“NAQS will vet the goods at the handling company along with NDLEA and Customs before the licensed airline.
“With this pathway, produce can be traced and tracked, reducing rejects of Nigerian Agro Produce abroad,” Uko explained.
He told the NAQS Director General that there are identified gaps in the pathway that might be a problem.
The gaps, according to him, are traceable to the logistics from farm to the airport.
“The logistics gap include cold chain processes and contamination issues in transporting produce from farm to airport,” he said.
He added that the conversion of unknown goods to Known goods will rely on the licensing of agents at different levels of the ecosystem.
Uko urged FAAN to insist on strict licensing regimes and setting viable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and SLAs for all stakeholders in the Export Value chain, some of which the Cargo Directorate is currently implementing.
In his speech the Comptroller General of NAQS thanked the team for coming to brief him on the progress made so far.
He said the NAQS will be willing to partner the team to initiate seamless handling of exports.
He unveiled the SOPs already developed by NAQS for exporters.
NAQS he said has developed a detailed guide for the export of different agro produces from Nigeria.
He identified the challenges faced by the agency in implementing its mandate and sought support from FAAN.
It was agreed that FAAN, the Aviacargo Roadmap committee and NAQS will do trial runs of exports from four airports using the developed template.
He revealed that there will a timed export from harvest at the farm to the Lagos Airport or other suitable airport to set a standard that can be repeated by other exporters.
This, he said will be done in October/November from a NAQS registered farm.
There will be another trial through Kano Airport in partnership with the State Government of Grains.
He further revealed that there will be another trial export through Enugu in partnership with the state government and the last one will be through the Jos Airport also in partnership with the state government.
The Aviacargo team included Dr Alex Nwuba, a Consultant, Dr. Sanwoolu of NAFDAC, Dr. Favour Akin Dada representing NAQS on the Committee.
The FAAN team included Chief Hycienth Ngwu, General Manager Business Development, Mr. Obiora Udoyeh, Deputy General Manager Cargo, Ms. Kemi Ofutola, Personal Assistant to the Director and Barrister Bobby Omeogu, the Secretary of the Aviacargo Roadmap committee and Chief Business Development Officer at FAAN.