Data were obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Abuja in February 2021 on pesticides imports into Nigeria to ascertain costs and quantity of pesticides that were used in agricultural and sundry activities in Nigeria from 2010 to 2020 to make an empirical analysis based on pesticide use in Nigeria, Africa and globally. The annual net weight of pesticides used in Nigeria was 23,412.5 Mt, thus ranking Nigeria as the second largest pesticide user after South Africa. The total quantities of each of pesticide types; herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, soil fumigants and mosquito repellants over the 11years periods were 965,558.98, 188,132.37, 66, 129.62, 67,243.97 and 623.56 metric tons respectively, while the mean annual tonnage of each of the pesticide types for the same periods were 87,778.08, 17,102.9, 6,011.8, 6,113.1 and 56.7 metric tons in that order. The quantities of pesticide types used over the periods represent 74.98 %, 14.61 %, 5.14 %, 5.22 % and 0.5 % herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, soil fumigants and mosquito repellant coils respectively. Nigeria spent about 244 million US Dollars annually on pesticides, out of which 74 %, 16.6 %, 4.7%, 5.0 % and 0.06 % were on herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, soil fumigants and mosquito repellant coils respectively. Therefore, it could be concluded that the essence of pesticide use in Nigeria is in agriculture.

Background & Aims of the Study: Serum paraoxonase (PON1) is a potent antioxidant that is associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases. Also, it is reported that environmental factors can modulate the PON1 activity. In this study, the association between the Organophosphates (OP) exposure and plasma Paraoxonase/Arylesterase (PON1) activity and also OP-induced oxidative stress was investigated among pesticide manufacturing factory workers. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, Plasma cholinesterase (PChE) and RBC Acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) were measured as a biomarker of OP exposure. Also, the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) was evaluated as a biomarker for lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. The PON1activity was measured by two distinct substrates, Paraoxson and Phenylacetate, to measure paraoxonase (PONase) and arylesterase (AREase) activities of PON1 enzyme respectively. Results: A significant decrease was observed inPChE and AChE activities in the blood sample of factory workers which confirmed OP exposure (p<0. 001). Furthermore, the level of MDA increased that shown lipid peroxidation induced by OP (p<0. 05). PONase and AREase activities decreased significantly in factory workers (p<0. 05, p<0. 001_). The reduction in AREase activity shown a correlation with the decrease in PChE and AChE activities (p<0. 01), also a negative correlation was observed with AREase activity and lipid peroxidation (p<0. 01). The Ponase activity only negatively correlated with lipid peroxidation (p<0. 01). Conclusion: Our study indicates that occupational OP pesticide exposure in factory workers causes a decrease in serum PON1 activity which is associated with oxidative stress. Decreased PON1 activity is involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases such as cardiovascular disease then it is recommended that PON1 activity of OP-pesticide workers has been periodically monitored.