The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), in partnership with key stakeholders, has taken a major step toward reforming Nigeria's seed industry through the validation of the draft National Seed Regulation, aimed at improving quality control, private participation, and farmers' access to certified seeds.
Speaking at the stakeholder validation workshop in Abuja, Dr. Okelola Folarin Sunday, Registrar of the Plant Variety Protection Office, said the new regulations would decentralise seed certification and align existing laws with international best practices.
"When you have clear regulations and people know what to do and how to do it, you get the best results," he said, adding that the framework would harmonise variety registration, release, and certification processes to ensure efficiency.
A key reform, Dr. Okelola noted, is the delegation of certification responsibilities to private entities, allowing NASC to focus on oversight and policy direction. "Our eyes will be on the job, but our hands will be off the job," he said, stressing that accredited third parties would handle field and lab certifications under NASC supervision.
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He added that seed companies developing internal quality assurance systems must comply with strict standards, including staff training and periodic audits — a move expected to strengthen industry capacity and reduce government funding constraints.
Also speaking, Mr. Dahiru Rabiu, representing the NASC Director General, described the validation as "a turning point" for Nigeria's seed industry, paving the way for a more efficient, private-sector-driven model.
He explained that three major draft regulations were under review — the Third Party Certification Regulation 2025, Early Generation Seed Production Regulation 2025, and Crop Variety Release Regulation 2025 — all developed to operationalise the NASC Act, 2019.
"The council is licensing private sector players because our workforce is too small for the industry's growing demands. This will expand coverage and ensure better quality assurance nationwide," Rabiu said.
He disclosed that NASC is piloting three certification models — the company model, institutional model, and independent third-party model — alongside efforts to liberalise Early Generation Seed (EGS) production. Currently, Nigeria produces only about 30% of its national seed demand, with most breeder and foundation seeds supplied by public research bodies.
Participants, including representatives from seed companies, NAFDAC, NACGRAB, and research institutions, lauded the initiative as vital for improving competitiveness, transparency, and food security.
Once approved, the new regulations are expected to strengthen quality assurance, attract private investment, and advance Nigeria's agricultural transformation and food security goals.
