Nigeria’s food companies have been given 18 months to eliminate industrially produced trans-fatty acids from their products.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control announced on Friday as part of a new national strategy to address a major public health risk.
Trans fats, commonly found in processed oils, baked goods, and fried foods, are strongly linked to heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
According to NAFDAC, the roadmap adopts a phased approach, including product reformulation, laboratory capacity strengthening, compliance monitoring, public education, and collaboration with government and civil society.
The 18-month transition period is designed to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock and reformulate their products to meet the new legal limits.
The announcement follows Nigeria’s recognition in 2023 by the World Health Organization for adopting best-practice policies on trans-fat elimination.
(Punch)
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said in a keynote address shared on X (formerly Twitter) that the roadmap shifts the country from policy creation to aggressive enforcement and implementation.
