Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS

The Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS is geared at improving Nigeria’s biosecurity impact and operational efficiency by streamlining the inspection and certification of agricultural products. Today, the Service operates as a paramilitary-styled regulatory agency, serving as the first line of defense against the transboundary movement of exotic pests and diseases that could jeopardize the nation’s agricultural economy.

The mission of the NAQS revolves around enforcing rigorous sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards to safeguard Nigeria's plant, animal, and aquatic resources from the introduction and spread of foreign infestations. This involves conducting specialized inspections at all international ports of entry to prevent the entry of invasive species, certifying agricultural exports to ensure they meet the stringent quality requirements of international markets, and acting as the primary national technical interface with global standard-setting bodies like the IPPC and the WTO.