NAFDAC does not have direct regulatory oversight over unbranded palm oil, fufu, and other staple foods packaged and sold in open markets.
▶️ At her Press Conference yesterday, the Director-General of NAFDAC clarified that unbranded and unpackaged staple foods sold in open… pic.twitter.com/K42Ulbg6XZ
— NAFDAC NIGERIA (@NafdacAgency) September 8, 2026
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, recently clarified that traditionally packaged foods such as yam, fufu, palm oil and other staples are not under its direct control.
The statement has raised an important question: If NAFDAC does not regulate every food product in Nigeria, then who does?
The answer lies in Nigeria’s food-safety system, which involves several government agencies with responsibilities spread across different stages of the food chain.
Is NAFDAC responsible for all food in Nigeria?
No.
Anything packaged traditionally – yam, fufu, moi moi, ogi, and others is not under the control of NAFDAC.
– Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye#SunriseDaily#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/hQTXE5W6wC
— Channels Television (@channelstv) September 9, 2026
NAFDAC is a major food regulator, but its mandate does not cover every food item from the farm to the consumer.
Its responsibilities largely come into play when food is processed, manufactured, packaged, stored, distributed or commercially marketed, particularly where the product falls within its regulatory mandate.
This means there is a difference between raw food produced by a farmer and a food product that has been processed and packaged for commercial distribution.
For instance, a farmer harvesting and selling fresh yam is different from a company processing yam into branded, packaged yam flour.
The same principle can apply to foods such as ogi, fufu and palm oil. A traditionally prepared or locally traded product is not automatically a NAFDAC-regulated product simply because it is food.
However, when such products are processed and packaged as commercial products, NAFDAC may have a regulatory role.
Who regulates raw farm produce?
Raw agricultural produce falls primarily within the agricultural regulatory system.
This includes products such as yam, cassava, grains, fruits and vegetables at the primary production stage.
The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS, also has an important role, particularly in agricultural quarantine and the movement of agricultural commodities across Nigeria’s borders.
Its responsibilities include protecting the country against the introduction and spread of pests and diseases that could affect agricultural production.
What about food standards?
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, also plays a role in Nigeria’s food-safety system.
SON develops and enforces standards for various products, including food products. These standards help establish requirements relating to the quality, safety and characteristics of products sold to consumers.
What role do states and local governments play?
Food safety is not only a federal responsibility.
State and local authorities also have responsibilities in areas such as food premises, traditional markets, street food and other local food businesses.
This means that a person buying traditionally prepared food from a local vendor is operating within a different regulatory environment from a large company manufacturing and distributing packaged food across the country.
Why does the distinction matter?
The distinction is important because food safety covers the entire food chain.
It starts from agricultural production and continues through processing, transportation, storage, packaging, distribution and, ultimately, consumption.
No single government agency is responsible for every stage.
So, while NAFDAC remains one of Nigeria’s most important food-safety regulators, it is not accurate to assume that the agency regulates every food product or every activity involving food.
In simple terms:
Farmer produces the food → agricultural authorities regulate aspects of primary production → NAQS handles agricultural quarantine and related border controls → food processor/manufacturer comes under relevant processing and product regulations → NAFDAC regulates applicable processed and packaged foods → SON sets and enforces applicable standards → state and local authorities oversee relevant local food businesses and premises.
The bigger issue, therefore, is not simply “Does NAFDAC regulate food?”
The more important question is:
“Which agency is responsible for which part of Nigeria’s food chain?”
And that distinction is crucial to understanding who is responsible when there are concerns about the safety, quality or handling of the food Nigerians consume.
