AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Groundnut and melon seed (egusi) consignments are rejected abroad mainly for aflatoxin above the legal limit. The EU limit for groundnuts eaten directly is 2.0 µg/kg aflatoxin B1 and 4.0 µg/kg total; the US action level is 20 ppb, and FDA lists Nigerian shelled peanuts and melon seeds for detention without examination. Test a properly drawn sample at an accredited laboratory before shipping, and again on arrival if you can.
Why these products are watched
Aflatoxins are toxins produced by moulds on crops such as groundnuts, melon seeds and maize. They cannot be seen and are spread unevenly through a lot, which is why regulators sample and test rather than inspect by eye. Nigerian groundnut products and egusi are named in more than one country's controls:
- US. FDA Import Alert 23-14 (mycotoxins, published 22 June 2026) lists shelled peanuts and melon seeds from Nigeria for aflatoxins on its red list, meaning shipments can be detained without physical examination.
- Great Britain. The FSA's list of foodstuffs with GB import restrictions (updated July 2026) places Nigerian watermelon (egusi) seeds and derived products under increased controls for aflatoxins, entering only through designated border control posts with sampling. Compound foods with more than 20% of a listed product are caught too.
- UK monitoring. The 2026/27 National Monitoring Plan ranks kuli kuli, suya mix (peanut powder) and ogbono as high sampling priorities for aflatoxins, naming Nigeria for the first two.
- EU. CBI's groundnut market guide (updated September 2026) reports more than 900 RASFF border rejections of groundnut shipments between 2021 and 2025, most for aflatoxin.
The limits
| Market | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EU, groundnuts for direct consumption or as an ingredient | 2.0 µg/kg aflatoxin B1; 4.0 µg/kg total | CBI, citing Regulation (EU) 2023/915 |
| EU, groundnuts to be sorted or treated before use | 8.0 µg/kg B1; 15.0 µg/kg total | CBI, citing Regulation (EU) 2023/915 |
| US, peanuts and peanut products, foods generally | 20 ppb total aflatoxins (action level) | FDA action levels guidance |
One µg/kg is one part per billion (ppb), so the EU direct-consumption total limit is five times stricter than the US action level. A lot that clears the US can fail in Europe. We did not find a published GB figure for egusi on the pages we opened; GB applies the assimilated EU contaminant limits, so test to the EU figures and ask your border control post to confirm.
Sampling: where most tests go wrong
Because aflatoxin sits in pockets, a single handful from the top of one bag says little. CBI notes that the EU updated its official sampling and analysis rules in 2023 (Regulation (EU) 2023/2782) and advises using a laboratory that understands them. In practice:
- Draw many small samples from across the whole lot (different bags, top, middle and bottom) and combine them, following the official sampling plan for the lot size.
- Test each lot separately; do not let a supplier test one good lot and ship another.
- Keep a sealed retained sample from the same draw in case the result is disputed.
- For the US, FDA says that from 1 December 2024 private laboratory results used to release detained food must come from a laboratory accredited under its LAAF programme.
Testing before shipment in Nigeria
NAFDAC's export guideline names mycotoxin testing among its export analyses and asks for the importing country's specifications, so give your exporter the limit that applies in your market and ask NAFDAC to test against it. The guideline gives two weeks for laboratory analysis within a 28-working-day process; see NAFDAC export permits. For egusi into GB, the official certificate and laboratory results go with the consignment, so the Nigerian test is part of entry, not an extra.
If a consignment fails
In the US, Import Alert 23-14 says a detained shipment is released only on evidence such as an accredited private laboratory analysis of a representative sample, and a firm leaves the red list only by showing the conditions that caused the problem are resolved. In GB and the EU, the border post decides what happens to a failed lot; ask in advance which options apply and who pays. Write into your contract who bears these costs, and keep records so you can trace the problem to a supplier, a store or a season.
What to check first
- Which limit applies to your product and use (direct consumption or sorting).
- Whether your market has extra controls on the product from Nigeria (FDA red list, GB increased checks).
- A laboratory accredited for the method, and a sampler who follows the official plan.
- Contract terms tying payment to a passing certificate for the exact lot.
Related: garri, yam flour and egusi import checks.
Where Pryme fits
Tying payment to a certificate is easier when you control the timing. With a Pryme Business Account you can hold naira for the supplier's balance and release it only once you approve, and keep a verifiable receipt from VerifyDoc.ai (receipts) for each payment. See business accounts.
Questions people ask
What is the EU aflatoxin limit for groundnuts?
For direct consumption: 2.0 µg/kg aflatoxin B1 and 4.0 µg/kg total (Regulation (EU) 2023/915, as summarised by CBI). Lots for sorting: 8.0 and 15.0 µg/kg.
Are Nigerian peanuts on an FDA import alert?
Yes. FDA Import Alert 23-14 lists shelled peanuts and melon seeds from Nigeria for aflatoxins, as published 22 June 2026.
Does egusi need testing to enter the UK?
Nigerian egusi is under GB increased import controls for aflatoxins, entering through designated border posts with sampling, and an official certificate and lab results go with it.
Why did my aflatoxin test pass in Nigeria but fail abroad?
Often sampling: aflatoxin is uneven, so a small or unrepresentative sample can miss it. Different limits (EU vs US) also explain many cases.
Sources
- CBI (Netherlands Enterprise Agency): Entering the European market for groundnuts, updated 3 Sep 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Import Alert 23-14, mycotoxins, 22 Jun 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Action levels for poisonous or deleterious substances in human food and animal feed · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK / FSA: Foodstuffs with GB import restrictions, updated 10 Jul 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: UK National Monitoring Plan sampling priorities for imported foods 2026/27, updated 9 Sep 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- NAFDAC: Guideline for export of NAFDAC-regulated products (NAFDAC/PID/EXP/FCMD/2018) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.