■Tunji Bello: consumers should be able to trust quality of products they buy, the benefits those products are expected to provide
■Survey finds 12% of vegetable oil, 2% of salt samples deficient in essential micronutrients
James Emejo in Abuja
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has moved against manufacturers of inadequately fortified vegetable oil and salt after a nationwide survey uncovered lapses that could undermine efforts to tackle micronutrient deficiencies and hidden hunger in the country.
The vommission said it had issued directives compelling defaulting producers to comply with mandatory food fortification requirements, warning that consumers must not be deprived of the nutritional benefits expected from products sold in the Nigerian market.
The intervention followed an assessment conducted 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.
The survey, which examined 200 samples comprising 100 vegetable oils and 100 salt products, was conducted over two months across randomly selected markets and households in northern and southern Nigeria.
The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s large-scale food fortification programme, which seeks to combat micronutrient deficiencies through the addition of essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods.
Commenting on the findings, Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive, FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, said consumers were entitled to trust the quality of products they purchased and the benefits those products were expected to deliver.
He stressed that consumer protection extended beyond resolving complaints and tackling harmful business practices to ensuring that consumers received the actual value and benefits associated with products in the marketplace.
Bello also said manufacturers had a responsibility to maintain appropriate quality standards and ensure that their products complied with relevant regulatory requirements.
The commission stressed that such deficiencies contribute to hidden hunger, a public health challenge with significant consequences for vulnerable populations, particularly pre-school children and women of reproductive age.
Under the national food policy, manufacturers are required to fortify designated food products with essential micronutrients, including iron, folic acid, vitamin A, zinc and iodine, depending on the product category.
The FCCPC’s findings suggest that some consumers may not be receiving the nutritional benefits expected from products marketed as fortified foods.
The exercise also exposed weaknesses in the digital monitoring of manufacturers and their products.
The commission identified poor participation by vegetable oil producers in the Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+) platform, developed by GAIN to improve the tracking of fortified foods from production to consumption.
Of the vegetable oil manufacturers identified in the survey, only six had registered on the platform, while just eight test results belonging to three companies could be uploaded, according to statement issued by FCCPC Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu.
The consumer rights agency stated that the limited participation undermined the effectiveness of product traceability and made it more difficult to identify and address quality concerns across the food supply chain.
The survey found that 49 of the 100 vegetable oil samples were unbranded, while 51 were branded products.
Among the branded vegetable oils sampled were Devon Kings, Power Oil, Activa, Golden Penny, Laziz Oil and Mamador, alongside other brands.
For salt, 19 samples were unbranded, while 81 were branded. Mr Chef accounted for 71 of the branded samples, while Dangote accounted for 10.
The commission said improved digital traceability would strengthen transparency, enable regulators to identify quality lapses more efficiently and help manufacturers maintain compliance with applicable standards.
FCCPC added that it had escalated the findings to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action, in accordance with the memorandum of understanding between both agencies.
It also urged manufacturers, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to embrace product registration and digital traceability systems.
Consumers were equally encouraged to pay greater attention to fortified food products and ensure proper handling and storage.