The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has unveiled a comprehensive Strategy and Roadmap for Trans-Fatty Acid Regulation in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen food safety and safeguard public health.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, described the initiative as a major milestone in the country’s campaign against unhealthy dietary risks linked to heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
According to the statement, the move reaffirms the agency’s commitment to protecting Nigerians from harmful food components through tighter regulations and improved enforcement mechanisms..
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, was quoted as saying that Nigeria had set a strict limit of no more than two grams of industrially produced trans fats per 100 grams of total fat, a bold policy step in line with global standards.
Adeyeye recalled that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had in 2023 recognised Nigeria among only seven countries worldwide implementing best-practice trans-fat elimination policies designed to promote longevity and population health.
She explained that the new roadmap provides a phased approach focused on reformulating food products, strengthening laboratory capacity, ensuring compliance monitoring, intensifying public education, and deepening collaboration among stakeholders for sustainable results.
With technical support from partners such as WHO and Resolve to Save Lives, Adeyeye said NAFDAC had boosted its laboratory capability to detect trans fats, speeding up nationwide implementation of the new standard.
She called on government agencies, industry players, civil society groups, and consumers to work collectively toward achieving WHO validation, stressing that eliminating industrially produced trans fats in Nigeria was “urgent and entirely achievable.”
“The roadmap reflects Nigeria’s strong commitment to protecting public health, fostering healthier food environments, and ensuring that future generations are free from the harmful effects of trans-fatty acids,” Adeyeye added.
NAN
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