Drug Agency Detects Excess Pesticide Residues in Beans, Warns of Health Risks
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised concerns over the safety of beans sold in Nigerian markets after tests found pesticide residues above permitted limits in some samples. The agency warned that improper use of agricultural chemicals could expose consumers to harmful substances, with some health effects potentially emerging only after prolonged exposure.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed the findings during a media briefing in Lagos, stressing that the misuse of pesticides and the circulation of prohibited agrochemicals posed significant risks to public health. The agency identified pyrethroid and dimethoate residues in the tested beans, noting that dimethoate was not approved for preserving harvested beans, while the use of pyrethroids for certain post-harvest purposes must comply with prescribed safety conditions.
As part of efforts to prevent unsafe agricultural chemicals from entering the food supply, NAFDAC said it had seized banned agrochemicals worth more than ₦800 million in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states in 2025. Its enforcement operations have also led to the interception of thousands of cartons of prohibited pesticides in parts of northern Nigeria, arrests of suspects and the sealing of unauthorised agrochemical manufacturing facilities in Kano State.
The agency urged farmers, agrochemical dealers, manufacturers and distributors to use only approved products and follow recommended application procedures, including observing the required waiting periods before harvesting crops. Adeyeye stressed that protecting consumers required compliance at every stage of food production, while NAFDAC said it would continue enforcement operations, public education and collaboration with agricultural stakeholders to reduce the risks of pesticide contamination.
