The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed several manufacturing facilities belonging to food companies found to have violated national food fortification standards following a market survey that uncovered inadequate micronutrient levels in some vegetable oil and salt products.
The commission also warned food manufacturers to comply with national micronutrient fortification requirements, vowing to intensify enforcement against businesses that fail to meet the prescribed standards.
The Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, disclosed this on Thursday while presenting the findings of a two-month market survey conducted in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
The survey examined 200 randomly selected samples, comprising 100 vegetable oil and 100 salt products collected from households and open markets across Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Laboratory analysis revealed that 12 per cent of the vegetable oil samples and two per cent of the salt samples were inadequately fortified with essential micronutrients at the household level.
According to Bello, the investigation covered both branded and unbranded products. Of the 100 vegetable oil samples examined, 49 were unbranded, while 51 were branded products, including Devon King’s, Power Oil, Activa, Golden Penny, Laziz, Mamador and Golden Terra, among others.
Similarly, 19 of the 100 salt samples were unbranded, while 81 were branded products, comprising 71 samples of Mr Chef salt and 10 samples of Dangote salt.
The survey also identified significant gaps in the adoption of digital traceability systems designed to monitor the quality of fortified food products from manufacturing facilities to retail outlets.
Bello explained that the investigation deployed GAIN’s Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+) platform to track compliance and promote transparency across the food supply chain.
However, regulatory data showed that only six vegetable oil manufacturers had registered on the platform, while just three companies uploaded a combined eight product test results out of the 100 oil samples analysed.
He described large-scale food fortification as a mandatory public health policy aimed at addressing micronutrient deficiencies by requiring food processors to enrich staple food products with essential nutrients, including vitamin A, iron, folic acid, zinc and iodine.
He noted that the policy was particularly important in tackling hidden hunger and nutritional deficiencies among young children and women of reproductive age.
“Consumers must be able to trust the quality of the products they buy and the health benefits those products are advertised to provide,” Bello said.
He added that consumer protection extended beyond resolving complaints and preventing deceptive business practices, stressing that Nigerians must receive the safety, nutritional benefits and value promised by manufacturers.
The FCCPC chief executive maintained that compliance with national food policies was a legal obligation, noting that manufacturers were responsible for ensuring that every batch of their products met established quality and safety standards.
On measures taken following the findings, Bello said the commission had issued compliance directives to defaulting manufacturers.
He also encouraged micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt digital registration and supply chain traceability systems to strengthen quality assurance.
According to him, the commission would also commence consumer awareness campaigns to educate Nigerians on the proper handling and storage of fortified food products to preserve their nutritional value.
Bello further disclosed that the survey findings had been forwarded to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further regulatory action, in accordance with the existing memorandum of understanding between both agencies.
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