The Plant Department of Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service protects the cultivated crops and the natural flora from destructive foreign plant pests. It also ensures that our agricultural exports meets international standard set by IPPC and WTO/SPS Agreement and specific phytosanitary requirements of countries importing plants, plant products, and other regulated articles from Nigeria.

To achieve the above objectives, the following functions are performed: Issuance of import permits for:

• Plant products
• Soil
• Bio-control agents and other regulated articles (e.g solid wood packaging material)

Inspection, treatment (where necessary or mandatory) and certification of plant germplasm, commercial seeds, ornamentals, plants and their products (e.g grains, tubers, rubber crumbs, and cassava derivatives) for export by the issuance of phyto-sanitary certificate. Inspection of crops during active growth in the field, plant products in warehouses and storage facilities prior to certification.

Pest specialist at the post-entry station provide scientific back-up to the frontline quarantine inspectors at the entry/exit points and coordinate dliberations on draft International Standards of phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) for in-country consultation.

Conduct pest surveillance to monitor the presence and spread of plant pests.

Reference: Plant Quarantine – Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (naqs.gov.ng)