Roughly one in eight household vegetable oil samples and one in fifty salt samples in Nigeria fall short of vitamin and mineral required fortification standards, according to a new survey by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The Commission carried out the study with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Over two months, researchers collected samples from random markets and homes in the northern and southern parts of the country.
FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, disclosed the findings in a statement on Thursday.
He said the work combined a Household Food Fortification Survey with the Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+) platform, which supports the monitoring and traceability of fortified food products.
Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) means deliberately adding essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron, folic acid, vitamin A, zinc and iodine, to widely consumed staples and condiments during industrial processing.
It is meant to tackle micronutrient deficiencies and reduce hidden hunger, a public health problem that affects people worldwide, including pre-school children and women of reproductive age. Under the national food policy, manufacturers are required to fortify their products.
Analysis of 200 samples, 100 of vegetable oil and 100 of salt, showed that 12 percent of the oil and 2 percent of the salt were inadequately fortified at household level.
Of the 100 oil samples, 49 were unbranded and 51 were branded. The branded samples were Devon Kings (19), Power Oil (12), Activa (4), Golden Penny (3), Laziz Oil (3), and one each of Mamador, Lasor Oil, Golden Terra, Canola, Primo Vegetable Oil, Zimzitana Oil, Ayarah Oil, Sim, Tadenkey and Okli. Among the salt samples, 19 were unbranded and 81 branded, made up of Mr. Chef (71) and Dangote (10).
The survey also found that few manufacturers have joined the DFQT+ platform, which GAIN developed to track fortified foods from production to the point of consumption. Only six vegetable oil producers had registered.
Of the 100 oil sample results analysed, only eight, belonging to three of those six companies, could be uploaded.
Better traceability benefits consumers and businesses alike, making it easier to spot quality problems, improving transparency and helping manufacturers and regulators address issues along the supply chain.
The Commission has directed the defaulting producers to comply. It also urged manufacturers, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), to adopt product registration and digital traceability, and to promote consumer awareness of fortified foods and of proper handling and storage.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tunji Bello, said consumers should be able to trust the quality of what they buy and the benefits those products promise.
He noted that consumer protection goes beyond resolving complaints or curbing harmful business practices; it also means making sure consumers are not denied the value they are entitled to expect.
He added that businesses carry a responsibility to maintain appropriate quality standards and meet applicable requirements.
The Commission has also referred the matter to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action, in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies.
