National Agricultural Seeds Council

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) is a Nigerian federal agency charged with the overall development and regulation of the national seed industry. It was established in December 2007 as an agency of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, operating under the framework of the National Agricultural Seeds Act No. 72 of 1992. Its mandate covers the production, certification, distribution and quality assurance of improved planting materials, with the aim of making high-quality seeds available, accessible and affordable to farmers across Nigeria. NASC's vision is to build a market-driven seed industry for the production and distribution of high-quality and improved planting materials. Its mission is to transform the Nigerian seed system into a leading seed industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, one capable of generating foreign exchange, serving as a key employer of labour and contributing positively to the national economy. In practice, the Council registers and accredits seed companies, licenses seed dealers and producer-sellers, inspects seed fields, tests seed samples for purity, germination, tetrazolium viability, other seed determination and moisture content, and issues certification tags for breeder, foundation and certified seeds. The Council also regulates seed importation, charging administration and per-kilogram fees that vary by crop category and volume, and it operates a published schedule of service costs covering company accreditation, importation, field inspection, certification tags and laboratory testing. Its work is closely tied to Nigeria's agricultural policy environment and to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and it engages with international partners and diplomats, including the Netherlands and Hungary, as well as with the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and permanent secretaries of the ministry. NASC has embraced digital tools for seed system oversight, including the SeedTracker observatory unveiled at its headquarters, which supports traceability and monitoring in the seed value chain. Through registration, licensing, inspection, testing and certification, NASC functions as the central regulatory institution of Nigeria's seed sector, mediating between seed producers, dealers, farmers and government policy objectives.

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) was established in December 2007 as an agency of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in line with the provisions of the National Agricultural Seeds Act No. 72 of 1992. The Act provided the legal foundation for a national seed regulatory framework, and the Council was created to give institutional effect to the state's role in developing and regulating the seed industry. From its establishment, NASC was charged with the overall development and regulation of the national seed industry. Its responsibilities include registering and accrediting seed companies, licensing seed dealers and producer-sellers, inspecting seed fields, testing seed samples, certifying seed lots and regulating seed imports. These functions are supported by a published schedule of service costs, which by 2023 covered seed company accreditation, seed importation, seed field inspection, certification tags and seed testing. Over the years, NASC has positioned itself as a partner to both domestic and international actors in agriculture. It has hosted courtesy visits from the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Nigeria, the Hungarian Ambassador, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. It has also participated in public events such as the 2019 Seed Fair & Farmers' Field Day, where the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Muhammad Sabo Nanono, and the Hungarian Ambassador, Dr. Sandor Beer, were present. A notable institutional development has been the adoption of digital technology for seed system oversight. The SeedTracker observatory was unveiled at NASC headquarters, reflecting an effort to improve traceability and monitoring across the seed value chain. Through its registration, licensing, inspection, testing and certification activities, NASC continues to serve as the central regulatory institution of Nigeria's seed sector, working toward a market-driven seed industry that can supply high-quality and improved planting materials to farmers and contribute to the national economy.

• National Agricultural Seeds Act No. 72 enacted, providing the legal framework for the national seed system.

• National Agricultural Seeds Council established as an agency of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

• NASC hosts the 2019 Seed Fair & Farmers' Field Day with the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and the Hungarian Ambassador in attendance.

• SeedTracker observatory unveiled at NASC headquarters.

• Published schedule of service costs for 2023 covering accreditation, importation, inspection, tags and testing.

Federal regulator and development agency for Nigeria's seed industry, promoting a market-driven seed system with quality, availability and affordability for farmers.

• Seed company registration and accreditation

  Registration and licensing of seed companies by scale (large, medium, small, producer-seller/seed dealer).

• Seed importation regulation

  Administration charges and per-kilogram fees for importing cereals, legumes/oil crops, vegetables, grass seeds, root and tuber, and seedlings.

• Seed field inspection

  Inspection of seed fields with fees based on hectare ranges and out-grower registration.

• Seed certification tags

  Tags for breeder, foundation and certified seeds.

• Seed testing

  Laboratory testing for purity, germination, tetrazolium, other seed determination and moisture content across crop categories.

• SeedTracker observatory

  Digital observatory for monitoring and traceability in the seed value chain.

1. 1National Agricultural Seed Council – Ushering in quality seedsseedcouncil.gov.ng
2. 2Who we are – National Agricultural Seed Councilseedcouncil.gov.ng
3. 3Seed company registration – National Agricultural Seed Councilseedcouncil.gov.ng
4. 4COST OF AVAILABLE SERVICE – National Agricultural Seed Councilseedcouncil.gov.ng
5. 5National Agricultural Seeds Council – Wikidatawikidata.org