Assessment of Plant Quarantine Compliance among Seed Importers in Lagos State, South West Nigeria

Nigeria's plant quarantine system serves as the primary regulatory barrier against the introduction of exotic pests and pathogens through imported seed consignments. However, compliance among commercial seed importers with mandatory phytosanitary certification and inspection requirements remains inconsistently documented, particularly in Lagos State, the country's major commercial import hub. This professional study assessed levels of phytosanitary compliance among registered seed importers operating through Lagos State entry points, examining documentation, inspection, and post-import management practices across 60 importing companies during 2023. Structured interviews and document audits were conducted using a standardised compliance assessment tool developed in alignment with ECOWAS phytosanitary regulatory frameworks. Results indicated that 72 percent of importers consistently submitted original phytosanitary certificates from exporting countries. However, only 38 percent requested pre-shipment testing from accredited laboratories, and 29 percent maintained records of seed health test outcomes sufficient to trace individual consignments. Forty-one percent of importers were unaware of the mandatory re-inspection requirement for consignments destined for distribution beyond Lagos State. Knowledge gaps were most pronounced among small and medium-scale importers with limited technical staffing. Regulatory enforcement was constrained by inspector workload and limited laboratory processing capacity at border points. The study recommends tiered compliance obligations based on importer scale, mandatory seed health testing for high-risk commodities, and a digital compliance tracking system accessible to inspectors and importers. Keywords: plant quarantine, seed importers, compliance, Lagos State, phytosanitary.