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  • Baby Food: NAFDAC absolves Nestle of breaching sugar level

    Baby Food: NAFDAC absolves Nestle of breaching sugar level

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has absolved an international baby food manufacturer, Nestle of breaching Nigerian laws regarding the level of sugar in its baby food products sold in Nigeria.

    The agency said the Nestle product that allegedly breached the sugar level, Nido, was neither registered nor sold in Nigeria.

    Recall that advocates against sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) under the aegis of the National Action Sugar Reduction (NASR) Coalition, in reaction to The Guardian UK investigative report on the issue recently called out NAFDA to promptly act on it.

    In reaction to the development in a statement on Sunday, April 28, by its Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC said it is alive to its responsibility of safeguarding the health security of Nigerians and has done due diligence on the issue since it broke out.

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    The statement reads in part: “The NAFDAC Management wishes to reassure the public that the Agency is fully alive to her responsibilities of assuring the safety, wholesomeness and quality of infant and young children’s foods offered for sale in Nigeria in compliance with the relevant standards and regulations. 

    “Infant and young children’s foods are strictly regulated by NAFDAC in recognition of the vulnerability of the target population and measures are in place to monitor and enforce compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and the national regulations – Marketing of Infant and Young Children Food and other Designated Products (Registration, Sales, etc.) Regulations

    “Regarding the mention of Nido follow-up milk formula in the publication, NAFDAC wishes to state that the product is not registered in Nigeria, is not known to the Agency and is not in circulation in Nigeria.

    “The range of Nestle Cerelac infant cereals distributed in Nigeria are duly registered with NAFDAC in line with the Nigerian Industrial Standard for Foods for Infants and Young Children – Processed Cereal Based foods (NIS 256:2010) and the Codex Standard for Processed Cereal-based Foods for Infants and Young Children (CXS 74-1981 adopted in 1981, revised in 2006, amended in 2017, 2019, and 2023), as well as the applicable NAFDAC regulations for compliance with safety, quality, and labelling requirements.

    “The scope of the standards covers processed cereal-based foods intended for feeding infants as complementary food from the age of six (6) months.

    “It is important to mention that these national and international food standards for processed cereal-based foods for infants and young children permit the addition of sucrose, fructose, glucose, glucose syrup or honey to products consisting of cereals which are or have to be prepared for consumption with milk or other appropriate nutritious liquids provided the amount of added carbohydrates from these sources shall not exceed the stated levels of 1.8 g/100 kJ (7.5 g/100 kcal); and specifically the maximum level of added fructose shall not exceed 0.9g/100kJ (3.75g/100kcal).

    “For cereals with an added high protein food which are or have to be prepared for consumption with water or other appropriate protein-free liquid, carbohydrates (if sucrose, fructose, glucose, glucose syrup or honey) are added provided the amount of added carbohydrates from these sources shall not exceed 1.2 g/100 kJ (5g/100 kcal); and specifically the maximum level of added fructose shall not exceed 0.6g/100kJ (2.5g/100kcal).

    “It is important to note that carbohydrates are made of building blocks of sugars and can be classified according to how many sugar units are combined in their molecule.

    “Glucose, fructose and galactose are examples of single-unit sugars, also known as monosaccharides.

    “Double-unit sugars are called disaccharides, among which sucrose (table sugar) and lactose (milk sugar) are most widely known.”

    The agency also stated that it did not rest on its oars by taking some steps since the controversy began, including holding a stakeholders’ engagement recently with members of the Association of Infant Food Manufacturers and Marketers in Nigeria (AIFMN), anchored by the Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN) Directorate to further drive home the importance and special place of infant and young child nutrition.

    It, however, emphasized that being an active participant in international food standards, the baby food and cereals in question were duly regulated, Nigerians should not exercise fears as it exercises due regulatory diligence in the registration of infant and young children foods distributed and used in Nigeria in line with relevant Codex Alimentarius international food standards (Codex) and more specifically, Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).

    “The NAFDAC Management wishes to reassure the public that the Agency is fully alive to her responsibilities of assuring the safety, wholesomeness and quality of infant and young children’s foods offered for sale in Nigeria in compliance with the relevant standards and regulations. 

    “This is applicable to all categories of infant and young children foods distributed by manufacturers, importers, and marketers of infant and young children foods operating within Nigeria.”

  • Advocates challenge NAFDAC on sugar in baby formula, cereals

    Advocates challenge NAFDAC on sugar in baby formula, cereals

    Advocates against sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have raised concerns about the presence of  added sugar recently discovered in baby formula and cereals by a baby food manufacturer and are urging the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to take immediate action.

     The advocates, including Project PinkBlue and the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, have called on NAFDAC to implement stronger regulations on sugar content in baby foods.

    They are also demanding that baby food manufacturers be required to provide clear nutrition labelling on their products.

     The advocates’ call at their recent rally at the NAFDAC Abuja headquarters followed a recent report by the United Kingdom (UK) newspaper The Guardian, which revealed that Nestlé, a prominent consumer goods company, is adding sugars to baby formula and cereals sold in African markets.

     In contrast, the same Nestlé products sold in Europe contain no added sugar.

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     In a statement yesterday by the spokesperson for the National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) Coalition, Omei Bongos-Ikwue, the investigative report further disclosed that one Cerelac variety sold in Nigeria contains up to 6.8g of sugar per serving, in contrast to varieties sold in Europe, where baby formulas contain Og of sugar, a development the World Health Organisation described as “double standard.”

     On the reason behind the advocacy to NAFDAC, Gloria Okwu, a member of NASR Coalition and Program Manager at Project Pink Blue, a cancer advocacy organization, noted that exposing children to life-threatening illnesses under the guise of profiteering is unacceptable. She emphasized that the lives of children worldwide must be protected from diseases and situations that could negatively impact their health, both now and in the future.

    She said: “Endangering the lives of children and exposing them to life-threatening illnesses is profiteering and criminal. Having different standards for producing baby formula for different populations is deceptive and discriminatory.”

     “The lives of children all over the world matter and it’s our collective responsibility to protect them from diseases and situations that could negatively alter their lives now or in the future. No wonder an increasing number of children are starting to develop diabetes and cancer earlier in life”.

    The advocates against SSBs noted that the broader implications of this discovery should not be lost on the government, pointing out that in Nigeria, one in three deaths is caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease and diabetes.

    While undernutrition remains a public health problem, feeding children high-sugar foods can increase the risk of childhood obesity without addressing the issues caused by poor nutrition, the advocates noted.

  • Popular Ibadan supermarket, Pinnacle, to be re-opened soon – NAFDAC

    Popular Ibadan supermarket, Pinnacle, to be re-opened soon – NAFDAC

    The popular Ibadan supermarket, Pinnacle Groceries and Cosmetics, shut down on April 3 by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will soon be re-opened, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    NAFDAC South-West Zonal Director, Mrs Roseline Ajayi, told NAN on Monday in Ibadan that the issue had been resolved at the Lagos office of the agency.

    Ajayi said that the Ibadan office was only waiting for an official document from Lagos before reopening the place.

    She said that the supermarket was shut down when its management refused to respond to the invitation by the agency’s Lagos office for further investigations on some of its products being put up for sale.

    “The closure had to do with a product that was registered by NAFDAC, but which its unregistered version were seen in some supermarkets in Oyo State in January when the investigation and enforcement directorate of NAFDAC visited from Lagos.

    “Seeing the unregistered versions of this product indicated parallel importation, meaning that somebody else who has not yet registered with us is importing it. So we can’t determine the quality and source of the product.

    “The essence of the registration is for us to guarantee the fitness of the product for consumption or usage. So when the investigation team found the unregistered ones in Pinnacle, they had been evacuated from the supermarket since January.

    “After that, they invited Pinnacle’s management to Lagos with their documents for verification so that they would be able to trace the source of the product, but they didn’t honour the invitation.

    “So after giving them more time and they still didn’t go, the Lagos team now directed us in Ibadan to shut down the place.

    “But, after shutting down the supermarket, the supermarket’s management visited our office here but we directed them to go to Lagos where the matter originated,” she explained.

    Ajayi, however, stated that the issue had been resolved in Lagos, adding that her office was waiting for an official document before reopening the supermarket.

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    “The re-opening can be any moment from now. As soon as it is officially documented, we will do so,” she said.

    The zonal director, who confirmed that the management of the supermarket was sanctioned over the matter, however, said that she would not disclose the amount paid now.

    She also said that the suspected products had been evacuated from the supermarket, urging supermarket owners to always operate in accordance with the NAFDAC guidelines.

    Ajayi also enjoined Nigerians to patronise only NAFDAC-registered products, whether imported or local.
    (NAN)

  • Ex-NAFDAC DG, former OgunSSG, others celebrate alma mater

    Ex-NAFDAC DG, former OgunSSG, others celebrate alma mater

    Former Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni; former Secretary to Ogun State Government, Dr. Demola Adegbite;, Prof. Ayodeji Oluleye, and other old students on Saturday celebrates reunion and 60 years of entry to Ebenezer African Church Primary School (EBASCO), Oke-Ado, Ibadan

    The 1964/69 EBASCO set emphasised on need to give back to society particularly someone’s alma mater, so as to uphold the standard of education in schools across the nation.

    The event, held at Kolapo Ishola Estate residence of the former NAFDAC DG, had in attendance top retired civil servants, government functionaries, philanthropists, captains of industries, and business moguls among others

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    Speaking at the event, the President, EBASCO 1964/69 set, Kehinde Awe said the school had impacted positively on them and shaped their lives which made them to become what they are today.

    According to him, “EBASCO was the top choice school to attend in our time, the fact that the school was good was what brought us here together, the school has produced prominent Nigerians.

    “What we are doing is to get ourselves together and make ourselves happy, see how to help the less privileged among us, and give back to society and our Alma mater.”

    He lamented the level of decadence in schools across the nation, saying everybody should support the government in restoring sanity back to schools because the government alone cannot do it.

  • Ex NAFDAC DG, former Ogun SSG, others celebrate Alma mater

    Ex NAFDAC DG, former Ogun SSG, others celebrate Alma mater

    Former Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni; former Secretary to Ogun State Government Dr. Demola Adegbite; Prof. Ayodeji Oluleye and other old students on Saturday celebrated the reunion and 60 years of entry to Ebenezer African Church Primary School (EBASCO), Oke-Ado, Ibadan

    The 1964/69 EBASCO set emphasised on the need to give back to the society.

    The event, at Kolapo Ishola Estate residence of the former NAFDAC DG, attracted top retired civil servant, government functionaries, philanthropists, captains of industries and business mogul among others

    President of EBASCO 1964/69 set, Kehinde Awe, said the school has really impacted positively and shaped their lives. 

    According to him: “EBASCO was top choice school to attend in our time, the fact that the school was good was what brought us here together, the school has produced prominent Nigerians.

    “What we are doing is to get ourselves together and make ourselves happy, see how to helped less privileges among us and give back to the society and our Alma mater.”

    He lamented level of decadence in schools across the nation, saying everybody should support government in restoring sanity. 

    Chairman, Planing Committee of the event, Dr. Ademola Adegbile, said it was significant the 1964/69 met 60 years ago before parting ways to various secondary schools.

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    “Some of us have not seen ourselves since 55 years ago but thank God for technology which makes it easier for us to reconnect again, we are now growing steadily as an association.

    “The essence of the association was that with the way God has helped us individually, we should give something back to the society and humanity, and one of the platform we can use is our Alma matter.

    “But before we can be effective in helping the school, we must first find ourselves, come together and ensure we have same focus.

    “I’m sure, our association is not focus on merriment alone, we believe the association will be strengthen to rehabilitate infrastructure in the school.”

  • NAFDAC intercepts drugs, bursts beverage factories in Onitsha

    NAFDAC intercepts drugs, bursts beverage factories in Onitsha

    The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized banned pharmaceutical products in Onitsha, Anambra State, during a raid.

    The agency also burst factories manufacturing fake alcoholic beverages in Enugu and Imo states during the month.

    NAFDAC’s Director (Southeast Zone) Martins Iluyomade said the drugs intercepted in Onitsha, included 892 bottles of Codeine Syrup, 26 packs of Rohypnol tablet (Flunitrazepam) and 16 packs of Swings tablet (Flunitrazepam).

    Others were six rolls of Teka Tramadol capsules 100mg, 10 packs of Super Terpentol tablet 200mg and eight packs Osaka Tramadol Capsules 100mg.

    Iluyomade hailed the Anambra State Coordinator, Louis Mmadubuatta, for a successful operation, saying the drugs poses grave danger to public health.

    Read Also: NAFDAC bursts syndicate producing fake Eva water in Rivers

    According to Iluyomade, the drugs were dangerous psychoactive substances, especially Rohypnol, which is largely used by kidnappers, rapists, cultists and ritualists, on their victims.

    “These are controlled drugs which should not be found in an open market or in the hands of individuals,” he said.

    Iluyomade said other breakthroughs included the discovery of a factory under the name BEST IJAW at Ibagwa Aka, in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, which specialised in the production of an unapproved dry gin.

    He said the factory had eight PVC containers filled with substances suspected to be ethanol and drums of substances equally suspected to be ethanol.

    “The so-called factory is in an uncompleted building used for rearing all manners of domestic animals and is very unkempt. Workers fill small branded plastic bottles with substances suspected to be ethanol from these drums and they distribute them to the innocent public for consumption,” he said.

  • NAFDAC bursts syndicate producing fake Eva water in Rivers

    Operatives of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) yesterday morning burst a fake bottled water syndicate that specialised in producing Eva water at Pipe Line Road, Eneka, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The Public Relations Officer, NAFDAC, South-South Zone, Cyril Monye, who confirmed the development, said the criminal activities of the group were uncovered through a tip-off.

    Monye said the suspects were using a decrepit shop camouflaged as a pool house for the production.

    He said: “They pick used Eva plastic bottles which they fill with contaminated water fetched from a paint bucket while using dirty rubber funnel covered with clothing material as filter.

    “The already printed Eva labels were then affixed into the plastic bottles and corked with already fake fitted Eva cocks.

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    “One of the distributors of the adulterated water who identified himself as Chibunna James was arrested as he was loading the product for sale, while the kingpin and producer is at large. Efforts are on to track him down.”

    He said the NAFDAC Coordinator, Rivers State enjoined the general public to always avail the agency of useful information that would lead to arrest of criminals and agents of death who specialise in adulteration and faking of regulated products.

    Monye said the fake products of 30 packs were eventually evacuated to NAFDAC office while the uncorked ones were emptied and the bottles evacuated.

  • NAFDAC bursts syndicate producing fake Eva water in Rivers

    NAFDAC bursts syndicate producing fake Eva water in Rivers

    Operatives of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) on Friday burst a fake bottled water syndicate specialised in producing Eva water at Pipe Line Road, Eneka, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The Public Relations Officer, NAFDAC, south-south Zone, Cyril Monye, who confirmed the development said the criminal activities of the group were uncovered through a tipoff.

    Monye said the suspects were using a decrepit shop camouflaged as a pool house for the production.

    He said: “They pick used Eva plastic bottles which they fill with contaminated water fetched from a paint bucket while using dirty rubber funnel covered with clothing material as a filter.

    Read Also: Why NAFDAC should reconsider ban on sachet alcoholic drinks

    “The already printed Eva labels were then affixed into the plastic bottles and corked with already fake fitted Eva cocks.

    “One of the distributors of the adulterated water who identified himself as Chibunna James was arrested as he was loading the product for sale while the kingpin and producer is at large. Efforts are on to track him down.

    He said the NAFDAC Coordinator, Rivers State enjoined the general public to always avail the agency of useful information that would lead to the arrest of criminals and agents of death, who specialised in adulteration and faking of regulated products.

    Monye said the fake products of 30 packs were eventually evacuated to the NAFDAC office while the uncorked ones were emptied and the bottles evacuated.

  • Why NAFDAC should reconsider ban on sachet alcoholic drinks

    Why NAFDAC should reconsider ban on sachet alcoholic drinks

    • By Monday Emhonyon

    For some time now, the manufacturing and sale of small, affordable sachet packs of alcoholic drinks has been prohibited in Nigeria by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). While the ban was well-intentioned to discourage alcohol abuse and underage drinking, it has proven ineffective and counterproductive. The sachet alcohol market has merely gone underground, making it unregulated and unsafe. It’s time for NAFDAC to lift this misguided ban.

    The rationale behind the sachet alcohol ban was to limit access to cheap booze that could easily be abused, especially by underage youths. However, outlawing it has done little to curb alcoholism or underage drinking in Nigeria. Those determined to consume have simply turned to illicit sources of sachet drinks that are potentially adulterated and dangerous.

    Rather than eliminating the market through prohibition, a legal and regulated environment for sachet alcohol would allow for proper quality control, packaging guidelines, and labelling requirements. Licensed manufacturers could be mandated to include alcohol content disclosure and warning labels. Age verification could be enforced at retail points. This would make sachet alcohol safer for those choosing to partake.

    The reality is that millions of Nigerians, especially from lower income backgrounds, rely on sachet alcohol as an affordable means to unwind and socialize within their limited means. A tax on legal sachet alcohol production could provide revenue for the government to fund public awareness campaigns about responsible drinking. Pushing it underground will only serve to enable unsafe black market distribution.

    Some critics argue that legalizing it would promote alcoholism, but the same argument could be made about any alcohol product. At least with regulation there would be controls, packaging would be standardized, and sales could be limited to those of legal age, unlike the unbridled illegal market today.

    Ultimately, the ban on sachet alcohol has been an abject policy failure that has made the product more unsafe while doing nothing to reduce alcohol consumption. It’s time to lift the prohibition, establish smart regulations, and bring the market into the legal space where it can be controlled and taxed appropriately. A pragmatic about-face is long overdue on this issue.

    There are also economic freedoms at stake. By outlawing sachet alcohol, NAFDAC has eliminated an entire product category, preventing entrepreneurs from operating legal businesses to meet market demand. This ban encroaches on the principles of consumer choice and a free market economy. It props up illegal black market operators while hampering law-abiding businesses.

    Countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda allow for the legal production and sale of sachet alcohol, often referred to as “sachets” or “pouches.” However, there are regulations in place. In Kenya, the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act requires standardized packaging with clear labelling of alcohol content and health warnings. There are also taxes imposed on sachet alcohol production. Uganda has licensing requirements for manufacturers of sachet alcohol, as well as age verification laws prohibiting sales to those under 18. Single-serve pouches cannot exceed 200ml. Rwanda only permits sachet alcohol production and sales by licensed businesses that follow packaging guidelines and pay levies. There are also restrictions on advertising these products.

    In Southeast Asia, countries have taken different approaches. Thailand has outright banned the sale of alcoholic drinks in pouches/sachets since 2012 out of concerns over underage drinking and substance abuse. However, in Vietnam and Cambodia, there are legal but regulated markets for small plastic pouches/packets of affordable alcohol products aimed at lower-income consumers.

    In the Caribbean, sachet rum and flavoured alcohol beverages are widely available. In Jamaica, there are licensed manufacturers of small sachets/pouches of rums and pre-mixed drinks that must follow packaging rules and pay taxes.  Haiti has regulations around sachet alcohol packaging requiring warning labels and limiting single-serve sizes.

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    Many countries have struck a balance – allowing legal sachet alcohol manufacturing and sales, but putting regulations in place around packaging, labelling, taxes, licensing of producers, and restricting sales to minors. This could serve as a model for Nigeria to consider in lifting its outright ban.

    Notably, the House of Representatives committee tasked with reviewing the effectiveness of the sachet alcohol ban concluded it should be lifted and replaced with a regulated market. The committee’s report stated that the prohibition “has not achieved its objectives” and called for NAFDAC to rescind the ban in favour of “comprehensive regulation of production, marketing, and consumption.”

    They opined that timing of the ban was inappropriate considering the current economic conditions, staggering unemployment, soaring inflation and high rate of poverty level.

    The Green Chamber in their wisdom, after rigorous study of the committee report made some recommendations to NAFDAC amongst others the following:

    • That the ban of sachet alcohol should be replaced with the establishment of licensed liquor stores/outlets in Local Government Areas across the country and making it unlawful to send underage persons to purchase alcoholic beverages.

    • That religious bodies and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) should be tasked to counsel their children or ward, especially the under-aged on the danger of alcoholic consumption.

    • That the process of enforcement should be tightened, with increased monitoring and compliance checks by NAFDAC and others to ensure strict product quality in terms of content and safety.

    • That producers of sachet alcohol should expose the dangers associated with the abuse of alcohol sachet products by boldly inscribing and enumerating the danger on the packs, as obtained in the case of tobacco

    • That government regulatory bodies should place more emphasis on regulation, monitoring and enlightenment campaigns to educate stakeholders and the general public on the dangers of under aged consumption of alcohol and its sales in motor parks.

    • That enlightenment campaigns should be carried out in secondary schools across the country as practiced by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to educate students on dangers and vices associated with the abuse of alcohol.

    • That regulatory mechanisms be strengthened to ensure enforcement and compliance and encourage legislation promoting recycling materials for green economy and minimizing importation of raw materials used in producing pet bottles to conserve FX.

    If the regulatory agency ignores the committee’s well-researched guidance, NAFDAC will be perpetuating a policy blunder rather than implementing an evidence-based solution. The agency should heed the legislators’ recommendations borne from rigorous study of the issue.

    Outlawing sachet alcohol through blunt prohibition will be a failure by any objective measure. It will make the products more unsafe, prevent taxation that could fund public education, violate economic freedoms, enrich criminal enterprises, and not stop underage or irresponsible consumption. NAFDAC should lift the ban as the House advised and allow a regulated market.

    •Dr Emhonyon writes via memhonyon@gmail.com

  • NAFDAC seals two water-packaging companies in Ogun

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed two unregistered water-packaging companies for allegedly operating without NAFDAC approval in Ota, Ogun State.

    NAFDAC State Coordinator (Ogun 2 Office), Philip Benu, said the two companies failed to meet NAFDAC’s requirements for registration.

    Benu said the raid and enforcement were based on routine inspections by regulatory officers in Ogun 2 office, Ota. According to him, the facilities were placed on hold with NAFDAC seal and the companies were invited for scrutiny when they were found operating without approval early in the year.

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    Benu added that at the time of the first inspection, there was nobody on ground to warrant immediate arrest for questioning at both facilities. “Despite the seal placed and letters of invitation dropped for the two companies to visit NAFDAC office in Ota, they remained adamant and went ahead to remove those seals. They also resumed production of unregistered water products with fake NAFDAC registration numbers, operating in a dirty and unhygienic environment.