For businesses in Nigeria that wish to sell products like food, medicine, cosmetics, chemicals or medical equipment, understanding how to go through the NAFDAC registration process is important as it ascertains the quality and consistency of food and drug products.
This serves to assure that whatever the businesses are selling has already met the necessary safety, quality, and regulatory requirements imposed by authorities before they can give their final product to the consumer.
It should be noted that finishing the NAFDAC registration process is a boost to public health through compliance with regulations thereby also enabling the achievement of public trust in your products as well as a wider market base in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: How to Verify a Fake NAFDAC Number and Protect Yourself from Counterfeit Products
Step By Step Procedure To Get NAFDAC Registration
Step 1: Get Your Files Ready
First things first, make sure you have all the necessary paperwork:
- Documents for Company Registration
- Registration of Trademarks
- Product Name
- Certificate of Fumigation
- The Certificate for Food Handlers
- Formulation in Batch
- Agreement for Site Use
- Samples for Examination
Step 2 Send in Your Application
Complete the NAFDAC registration form, which is available online or at any NAFDAC office. Send in this form together with a formal application letter and any supporting documentation.
In addition to providing information about your company and the product, the letter should state your desire to register your product.
After you have applied for the registration certificate at NAFDAC they send an acknowledgement receipt to you as an indication that your request has been received and will be processed accordingly.
Step 3: Fee Payment
Complete the necessary expenses for registering the product. The costs change according to the category and kind of product.
- Application Fee: Varies according to product type; for local products, it ranges from N50,000 to N300,000; for imported products, it is greater.
- Inspection Fee: Extra charges, usually between N50,000 and N150,000, for facility inspection.
- Laboratory analysis fees: These can be anything from N30,000 to N100,000 and are paid for the testing and analysis of products.
Step 4: Sampling and Product Inspection
NAFDAC will arrange for your facility to be inspected. Additionally, they will gather product samples for examination.
Step 5: Examination in Laboratory
The laboratory tests conducted on the gathered samples will determine whether your items are safe and compliant with NAFDAC rules.
Step 6: Issuing of the Certificate and Final Approval
When your product passes laboratory testing and inspection, NAFDAC will examine your application. You will be issued a certificate and registration number if everything is in order.
Timeline for NAFDAC Registration
Depending on the kind of product being registered, there are several deadlines for NAFDAC product registration. NAFDAC states that from the date the application is accepted, the registration process takes about 90 days for food goods and 120 days for medicine products. Nonetheless, the following is a comprehensive schedule for the NAFDAC registration procedure:
- Application submission: 0 days
- Verification of Documents: 10 Days
- Inspection and Sampling of Facilities: Food items (ten days), Medicinal goods (20 days)
- Analysis in the Laboratory (Food items: thirty days and pharmaceutical items: forty days)
- Ten days for the final screening
- The NAFDAC Registration Number (Certificate of Registration) will be issued after the approval meeting in 20 days.
