By Omoyeni Ojeifo
As the world mark the 2026 International Day of Plant Health, the Agricultural Quarantine Service is calling for a digital transformation within Nigeria’s export value chain.
Controller General Dr. Vincent Isegbe urged stakeholders to utilize the agency’s digital tools to seamlessly meet global health and safety benchmarks.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, Isegbe noted that strengthening biosecurity systems is no longer optional.
He cautioned that the combination of climate change and invasive pests is putting unprecedented pressure on food production systems worldwide, making robust digital oversight essential for protecting Nigeria’s agricultural economy.
According to him, the absence of visible symptoms does not necessarily mean the absence of any precautionary risk.
Stressing the need for continuous vigilance, Isegbe raised the alarm that climate change is also becoming a major threat to plants.
“Climate change is altering the epidemiology of pests and pathogens, favoring their spread and increasing their pathogenicity.”
Isegbe noted that weak surveillance systems and poor pest management practices are increasing vulnerability in agricultural system.
He further highlighted gaps in Nigeria’s plant health control framework across key food and export commodities, stressing the need to embed biosecurity into all levels of agricultural management.
The Quarantine Service boss said the agency’s digital platforms are aimed at improving compliance, and ensuring alignment with global sanitary and phytosanitary standards in agricultural exports.
Every May 12, the world marks the UN’s International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise awareness about the link between plant safety and global prosperity.
Persecondnews reports that this year’s theme, “Plant Biosecurity for Food Security,” underscores the vital role of plant protection in safeguarding biodiversity and reducing poverty.
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