Importation of Animals/Animal Products
1) Apply for import permit to the chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Federal Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, Area 11, Abuja.2) Obtain import/export permit for wildlife subject to the acquisition of CITES permit from the Federal Ministry of Environment.
3) Notify Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) of import permit details.
4) Notify NAQS of the arrival date.
5) On arrival point of entry, make declaration of animal /animal product or consignment for NAQS inspection and certification.
6) Declaration should include the entire document accompanying the animal/animal product and consignment including Sanitary/Health certificate of the animal, documents of port of embarkment, port of disembarkment, country of export, country of destination, purpose of importation etc.
7) NAQS officer verifies the document and consignments as well as the status of animal & animal product at the point of entry.
8) On arrival at the port, NAQS officials conduct visual inspection of animal and animal products. Live animals are sent to the quarantine stations for observation and suspected animal products are lab tested. If satisfied, animal or animal products are released; otherwise animal or animal products are detained for further quarantine action.
9) Quarantine facilities where animals are sent to could be NAQS or owners’ facility where necessary laboratory checks and certification are carried out.
10) For live animals, they must be held for a reasonable quarantine period.
11) If the animal & animal product or consignment does not comply with the above, the importer will pay the appropriate user fees (calculated by NAQS) for further necessary quarantine action.
12) Where an animal is infected with a zoonotic disease, the animal could be seized for further necessary action or destroyed by NAQS at the importer’s expense.
Exportation of Animals/Animal Products
1) Apply for export permit to the chief Veterinary officer (CVO), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.2) Notify Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) of Export Permit details.
3) Notify NAQS of the departure date for necessary quarantine measures before export at the quarantine facility before export, at the owner’s expense.
4) Declaration and animal / animal product or consignment at the point of exit for NAQS inspection and certification.
5) Declaration and verification should include all the documents accompanying the animal /animal product or consignment including Sanitary/health Certificate at the point of exit.
6) If the animal /animal product and consignment complies with the above, it will be allowed for exit otherwise, the following measures will apply:
a. Detention until all that is necessary is done
b. Refusal to be exported by NAQS
Aquatic Resources Quarantine Procedures
Importation of Aquatic Resources/Products 1) All import of aquatic resources into the country must be by a limited liability company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. 2) The certified true copy of the memorandum of Association and Certificate of Registration must accompany all applications.3) Application to import aquatic resource must be on the letterhead mail of the company. The application will show detail of the intent to import aquatic live fish, the scientific and common / local name of the species to be imported, the quantity, total weight and mode of transportation.
4) The Application should be addressed to:
The Coordinating Director,
Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Abuja.
Attn: Director, Aquatic Resources Quarantine
5) All imports must be accompanied by valid import permits.
6) Approval to import is subject to the inspection of the intended Holding facilities (farm, tanks, ponds etc) for aquatic resources.
7) There must be a good disposal of wastewater from the facility. Note the wastewater must not be discharged into any natural body of water.
8) The import of aquatic resources must be accompanied with a Health Certificate from the country of origin.
9) Certificate showing that the import is free from area of contagious diseases, parasites, pests, pathogenic organisms and diseases.
10) A written note to NAQS indicating expected date of arrival, port of entry and mode of transportation.
11) All documents relating to imports must be verified on arrival.
12) A sample of import will be taken for quarantining by NAQS – AR officers.
13) DATA Form for every import must be mandatorily filled.
14) Monitoring of aquatic (Live fish) import will be carried out by the NAQS officers for the next three years.
15) The importer must ensure and facilitate the monitoring of imports within a stipulated time and he/she is required to bear the cost of logistics to carry out this function by NAQS quarantine officers.
Compliance requirements for importation of live aquatic products involve the inspection of product country of origin; conduct import risk analysis and quarantine stringent assessment for appropriate level of protection and biosecurity protocol.
16) To achieve the above, it is the responsibility of the importer to bear the cost of logistics and travelling expenses for authorized quarantine fish inspector for source of origin inspection before any import permit can be issued to any prospective importer.
Pre –Arrival Procedures
All imports of aquatic resources must be subjected to quarantine regulations in accordance with food safety and biosecurity requirements such as:i. Inspection of Quarantine Approved places
ii. Availability of Biologics
iii. Issuance of Facility Status Clearance (FSC)
Arrival Procedures
i. Inspection of quarantine sealii. Physical observation of products
iii. Assessment of water quality
Sample Collection
i. Collection of fish samples according to fish species indicatedii. Analysis of qualities of current water
iii. Special feed (antibacterial and antiviral feed supplements)
Quarantining of Live Aquatic Products
i. Activation of the Franc-Greco quarantine tank upon the arrival of live aquatic productsii. Introduction of fish sample into quarantine tank
iii. Monitoring of newly introduced fish samples for a period not less than 14 days
Laboratory Analysis
i. Analysis of the current water parameters such as temperature, pH values, salinity content, turbidity and water hardness, presence of carbon dioxide gases, ammonia and nitrite compounds.ii. Microbiology
iii. Feeds, Feed composition, Mycotoxin analysis and Others
Quarantine Integrity Certificate (QIC)
A quarantine integrity Certificate is issued after all observations on quarantining and laboratory results are confirmed satisfactory. Note: All logistics for sample quarantining is borne by the importer. This includes monitoring budget, accommodation and personal allowances of the quarantine officer.NAQS will not be responsible for any losses or mortality of products due to delay or negligence or mismanagement of live fish by importer or his agent.
Quarantine Border Inspection
Border inspection is an essential bio-safety measure against the entry of diseased live aquatic animals, products, exotic pests and pathogens that will endanger human and animal lives.• Seaport inspection: Inspection of documents and conducting organoleptic tests on samples
Exportation of Aquatic Resources/Products
1) All exports of aquatic resources from the country must be by a limited liability company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria.2) Company’s certified copies of memorandum of association and certificate of registration must accompany application for export.
3) Export permit must be obtained after the approval of the applications to export aquatic resources products. Applications to export aquatic resource products must be in company’s letterhead mail. The letter must clearly indicates the intent to export aquatic resources, the scientific, common and local names of the species for export, the total number of aquatic resources and the mode of transportation out of the country.
4) The Application should be addressed to:
The Coordinating Director,
Attn: Director, Aquatic Resources Quarantine
5) The inspection of Quarantine Facilities must be conducted periodically and is a condition for the renewal of export permit.
6) The aquatic resources or other regulated products for export MUST BE accompanied by a Sanitary Health Certified indicating that the product there-in are free from pests and diseases as prescribed by the importing country.
7) All exporters must fill and complete inventory data form at the point of exit.
8) All exporters must repatriate to Nigeria the funds so generated from export of live fish from the country and evidences of repatriation shows in the form of bank statements, Moneygram, Western Union receipts which must be submitted for renewal of export permit for subsequent shipment.
9) All exports must comply with specific requirements of the importing country.
10) Documentation and analyses Form D must be completed for all exports.
Protocol for Intended Export of Aquatic Animals/Products
a) Source of origin inspection i.e quarantine inspection of the production site and processing facilities of the commodities for exports
b) Commodity isolation
c) Monitoring programme
d) Offer of option for export permit
e) Documentation of international Health Certificate, Radio-active free certificate and application for aquatic resource export permit.
f) Inspection compliance audit such as Handling and packaging, Sanitary audit of consignment, User fee charges at Exporter’s expense, Way-bill, Package label
Bio-security Clearance Certificate
This is a certificate or a document handed over to an Exporter indicating that all pre-border protocols have been satisfactorily complied with. It is a final certificate issued by the competent authority for the final shipment of the export commodity.Requirements for Parcelling of Aquatic Products for Research in Foreign Institutions
i. Application letter must be in letter headed papers of the institution and must state the following
a) Name of product to be parceled
b) Source of product
c) Method of collection
d) Method of preservation
e) Research work to be done
f) Total quantity of product
g) Description of packaging
ii. A letter of authorization to carry out the Research from the institution.
iii. Certificate of being radioactive free
iv. An Export permit fee is charged for a quarantine permit to parcel aquatic product out of Nigeria.
v. The Application should be addressed to:
The Coordinating Director,
Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Abuja.
Attn: Director, Aquatic Resources Quarantine