Coalition Cautions FG Against Fortifying Ultra-Processed Food

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Coalition for Healthy Food Advocacy and National Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax Coalition (NSSBTC) has cautioned the federal government against fortifying ultra-processed food.

They warned that the approach could deepen the country’s already troubling burden of diet-related diseases.

The public health advocates made the call while addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja with the theme; “Drawing Attention to Public Health Dangers of Fortifying Ultra-Processed Foods.”

To this end, the coalition urged the federal government to urgently review its fortification strategy and ensure that nutrition policies do not inadvertently promote unhealthy consumption patterns.

The coalition pointed to mounting evidence that Nigeria’s changing food environment is driving a surge in non-communicable diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke and cardiovascular conditions.

Speaking, Lead Researcher, Cardiovascular Research Unit at the University of Abuja, Prof. Dike Ojji noted that cardiovascular diseases now account for about 10 to 11 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria.”

According to him, Hypertension alone affects between 25 and 30 per cent of Nigerians, and much of this is linked to diet, particularly high salt intake and the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Ojji warned the healthcare system was already under strain and might not be able to cope with the long-term costs of treating these chronic conditions.

On his part, the Executive Director of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Oluwafemi Akinbode said while food fortification remained a valid public health tool, its effectiveness depends heavily on the choice of food vehicles.

He noted that the increasing reliance on products such as seasoning cubes, instant noodles, sugary cereals and refined flours risks sending the wrong message to consumers.

Akinbode said: “We support food fortification. When properly designed, it is a useful tool for addressing micronutrient deficiencies. What is in dispute, however, is how Nigeria is choosing to implement this strategy.

“Fortifying ultra-processed foods creates what experts call a ‘health halo’. It gives the impression that these products are healthy, even when they are high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. The result is that people are lured into consuming more of them.”

Akinbode stressed the promotion of fortified ultra-processed foods as a “double-edged sword”, one that may address micronutrient deficiencies on the surface but ultimately fuels long-term health problems.

He pointed out that large-scale fortification programmes built around industrial food systems tend to favour multinational corporations, while sidelining local farmers and traditional food systems.

“Adding vitamins to a poor-quality product does not transform it into a healthy one. If we are not careful, the cure may become part of the problem.

“This approach risks weakening our food sovereignty and pushing nutrient-rich indigenous foods out of reach.”

In his submission, the Technical Advisor of Network for Health Equity and Development, (NHED), Dr. Jerome Mafeni, highlighted the dangers of fortifying high-sodium products such as bouillon cubes, which are widely consumed across Nigerian households.

He cautioned that fortifying such products could worsen health outcomes by increasing consumption.

Mafeni said: “Nigeria is already consuming nearly double the recommended daily sodium intake. We are taking a product that contributes significantly to excess salt intake and beginning to position it as part of the nutrition solution. That is a fundamental contradiction.”

“A fortified cube is still a high-sodium risk. Adding micronutrients does not remove its core health danger.”

The coalition called on the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), to rethink the current direction.

It argued that considering the prevailing public health crisis and the huge burden of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, government must prioritise its goal to reduce Nigeria’s sodium intake by 30 per cent by 2030 to safeguard public health, curb the non-communicable disease burden and boost national productivity.