Nigeria has lost over €5 million following the rejection of its beans exports by European buyers, former Acting President of the Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto, has said.

Farinto said the rejection of Nigerian beans, despite Ghana’s continued access to the same market, underscored the need for effective pre-shipment inspection to ensure that the country’s exports meet international standards.

He said inadequate packaging and failure to meet required specifications had continued to undermine the competitiveness of Nigerian products in the international market.

According to him, the introduction of effective pre-shipment inspection will help address these challenges by ensuring that export goods are properly examined and certified before leaving the country.

Farinto explained that the process would enable exporters to identify and correct deficiencies before their goods reach their destinations, thereby reducing the risk of rejection by foreign buyers.

He said, “They rejected our beans to the tune of over €5 million, but they receive beans from Ghana. We can’t export beans to Belgium except through Ghana, and the issue is packaging.”

He added that proper inspection and certification would help Nigerian exporters comply with international best practices and improve confidence in the quality of their products.

Farinto said pre-shipment inspection would also strengthen the country’s export earnings by ensuring that goods meet the specifications agreed upon with foreign buyers.

He explained that the process would involve thorough documentation and due diligence, including the use of commercial banks in export documentation.

He said, the system would provide greater reliability in Nigeria’s export trade and help protect local shippers from losses arising from rejected consignments. “They will access your goods before they get to the port of destination. It will go along with experience, and government will get its export in dollars,” he stated.

Farinto added that the policy would be beneficial to the Federal Government, exporters and local shippers, as it would improve the quality of Nigerian exports while supporting the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

He described the proposed inspection system as a win-win arrangement for the government and the private sector, noting that it would help Nigeria maximise the value of its export trade.

He said the system would also ensure that export goods are properly certified before shipment, reducing disputes between Nigerian exporters and their overseas buyers over quality and specifications.

Farinto maintained that effective pre-shipment inspection, backed by proper documentation and compliance with international standards, would improve the acceptability of Nigerian goods in foreign markets and strengthen the country’s position in global trade. (Nigerian Tribune)