By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage— The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC),has directed producers of vegetable oil and salt to comply with mandatory food fortification standards following findings that some products sold in Nigerian markets contain inadequate levels of essential vitamins and minerals.
The directive followed a two-month survey conducted by the Commission in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), which found that 12 per cent of vegetable oil samples and two per cent of salt samples tested were inadequately fortified at the household level.
The study analysed 200 samples, comprising 100 vegetable oil and 100 salt samples, randomly collected from markets and households across northern and southern Nigeria.
The exercise adopted a Household Food Fortification Survey methodology, supported by the Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+) platform, designed to improve the monitoring and traceability of fortified food products from production to consumption.
Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) involves adding essential micronutrients, including iron, folic acid, vitamin A, zinc and iodine, to widely consumed food products during industrial processing to address nutritional deficiencies and reduce hidden hunger, particularly among children and women of reproductive age.
Under Nigeria’s national food policy, manufacturers are required to fortify designated food products to improve public health outcomes.
The survey also identified significant gaps in the registration of manufacturers on the DFQT+ digital traceability platform developed by GAIN.
According to the FCCPC, only six vegetable oil producers had registered on the platform, while just eight test results from three of the six companies were uploaded, despite the 100 vegetable oil samples analysed by the Commission.
The Commission said the limited participation undermined efforts to strengthen product traceability, quality monitoring and transparency across the food supply chain.
A breakdown of the vegetable oil samples showed that 49 were unbranded, while 51 were branded. The branded products included Devon Kings, Power Oil, Activa, Golden Penny, Laziz Oil, Mamador, Lasor Oil, Golden Terra and other brands.
For salt, 19 samples were unbranded, while 81 were branded, comprising 71 Mr Chef and 10 Dangote products.
Consequently, the Commission said it had issued directives compelling defaulting producers to comply with the applicable fortification requirements and improve their participation in the digital traceability system.
It also urged manufacturers, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), to embrace product registration and digital traceability while encouraging consumers to pay greater attention to fortified food products and their proper handling and storage.
Commenting on the findings, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, said consumers must be able to trust the quality of products they purchase and the benefits those products are expected to deliver.
Bello stressed that consumer protection goes beyond resolving complaints and addressing harmful business practices, adding that it also involves ensuring consumers receive the value and benefits they are entitled to expect from products in the marketplace.
He further emphasised that manufacturers have a responsibility to maintain appropriate quality standards and ensure their products comply with applicable regulatory requirements.
The FCCPC disclosed that it had also escalated the findings to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between both agencies.
