The Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Quality Council (NQC), Mr. Osita Aboloma, stated that the agency has been leveraging collaborations with various stakeholders to initiate the implementation of the approved Nigerian National Quality Policy (NNQP).
These collaborative efforts aim to drive economic development by boosting non-oil exports, reducing export rejections, and maximizing the benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Among these stakeholders are the African Union Commission/Pan African Quality Infrastructure for the successful hosting of the first African Cassava Conference (ACC) in Nigeria, the United Kingdom High Commission in Abuja/British Standards Institute under the Standards Partnership Programme, and the ongoing Business Round Table in partnership with the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG),” Aboloma stated.
Aboloma noted that the NQC chaired the Local Organizing Committee for the ACC in Nigeria to mobilize relevant federal and state government agencies, private sector organizations in agriculture and related fields, development partners, research institutions, and the media to ensure the conference’s success.
Other objectives included ensuring active stakeholder participation in Nigeria and leveraging the nation’s substantial production capacity to promote quality along the cassava value chain for food sufficiency, security, and increased foreign exchange earnings, particularly in light of the AfCFTA Agreement implementation.
According to Aboloma, the ACC was a significant success, providing Nigeria with a unique opportunity to engage with cassava stakeholders from across Africa, highlight the benefits of developing the cassava value chain, review related policies, and promote research collaboration to enhance cassava development across the continent.
