On Wednesday, December 21, 2022, the African Export-Import Bank ("Afreximbank") and Bureau Veritas will host a commissioning ceremony for the opening of the African Quality Assurance Center (AQAC) Laboratory in Shagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria.
The African Quality Assurance Center (AQAC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Afreximbank's Fund for African Export Development (FEDA). It is an initiative that aims to establish internationally accredited quality assurance centers to improve Africa's ability to comply with international standards and technical regulations required to promote exports and facilitate intra- and extra-African trade.
Bureau Veritas will operate the facility, which will provide testing, certification, and inspection services for food and agri-products for export as well as domestic consumption. The AQAC will benefit from BV's extensive experience in Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment ("QHSE") management, which includes product inspection, analysis, auditing, and certification.
The opening of the AQAC in Ogun State, Nigeria, will help the state, the country, and West Africa's economic development by allowing local processors and producers to meet international standards and technical regulations in export markets while also ensuring the safety of products for domestic consumption.