Federal Republic of Nigeria National Biosecurity Policy and Action Plan, 2022-2026.

This National Policy and Action Plan outlines the strategic vision and goals of the Nigerian government to ensure protection and safety against all forms of biological threats, through the One Health global approach, and the commitment to achieve excellence in biosecurity through collaborative efforts of stakeholders in the dissemination and exchange of knowledge. The Policy also recognises the importance of early intervention to prevent, detect and respond to significant outbreaks of disease in animals or plants and the consequent risks to the community and the environment. Concerning the structure of the National Policy, chapter 1 focuses on introduction, background, global context and Nigeria’s biosecurity landscape, list of some notable global biothreats, weakness, vulnerability and strengths; chapter 2 contains Policy statement, vision, mission, goals, objectives, guiding principles and implementation strategies in the following sectors: agriculture and food safety, environment and human health; chapter 3 concerns Policy directions, national priorities, risk-based approach to biosecurity, institutional governance, incident management plan, international cooperation and regional biosecurity development, financing and resources mobilisation; chapter 4 defines strategies and action plan; chapter 5 provides for monitoring and evaluation.
The Policy focuses on the following objectives and guiding principles: effective coordination of biosecurity activities, including prevention, mitigation and response to biosecurity events/incidents; integrate and institutionalise standard operating systems for best-practices in all aspects and facilities of biosecurity; risk assessment and management; evolving biosecurity systems based on new knowledge and technologies; preparedness, prevention and early intervention. Concerning the implementation strategies in the agri-food sector, the Policy aims at: providing the population with safe food and water; undertaking traceability and surveillance activities to support market access; providing certification for agricultural produce from harmful biological agents; enforcing strict quarantine and other import and export requirements; protecting consumers from insanitary, contaminated, unwholesome, mislabelled or adulterated food; registering all food products to promote their quality. The Policy applies its content and strategies in the environmental and public health sectors through the following measures: conservation and preservation of the Nigerian biodiversity; reducing the impacts of established priority and communicable diseases, pests and other bio-threats, and enhancing flora and fauna surveillance and plant health interventions; building and maintaining an emergency response system to deliver responses to biothreats; strengthening the role of farmers in supervision of crops cultivation and animal health; implementing training and education programmes on biosecurity; undertaking prevention, surveillance and response measures to exotic pests and diseases; mitigation and reduction of effects of increased pest incidences, invasive alien species due to climate change; enhancing a sustainable waste management system.