The Director Scientific, Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), Dr Adeyemi Opeoluwa has called for improved investment in laboratory regulatory capacity to advance food micronutrient analysis.
Opeoluwa said this at the graduation of the third cohort of the Laboratory Analysis of Food Micronutrients (LAoFM) Course on Wednesday in Lagos.
The LAoFM course was jointly developed by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and IPAN, with funding from the Gates Foundation.
The course was designed to strengthen competencies and capabilities in laboratory analysis of food micronutrients, in support of Nigeria’s Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) programme.
Opeoluwa emphasised that the LAoFM e-learning course was a transformative intervention in combating hidden hunger and improving the quality of food fortification in Nigeria.
According to him, LAoFM builds the analytical skills of laboratory professionals to verify, standardise, and strengthen fortification efforts.
He noted that without proper testing, fortified food may fail to meet health objectives, thus calling for the integration of LAoFM into national strategies for nutrition and food safety.
Opeoluwa also called for multisectoral partnerships to sustain food safety, emphasising the need for quality data to enhance the decision-making process.
Similarly, the Head of Operations, GAIN Nigeria, Ifunfun Akinduro said the LAoFM course had enrolled 51 candidates across intermediate and advanced levels since its inception over four years ago.
Akinduro said participants of the course were key stakeholders in Nigeria’s food fortification landscape, including professionals from PZ Wilmar, Apple and Pears, Sunola and Flour Mills of Nigeria, among others.
She said the course prepared the graduates to meet international standards, as demonstrated by their successful completion of the ISO/IEC 17024:2012 aligned certification examination.
“To our graduates, you are more than just the latest beneficiaries of this programme, you are ambassadors and standard-bearers.
“Your achievement today signals to the industry and the public that we are building a skilled, competent and forward-thinking workforce to safeguard our food systems,” she said.
The Registrar of IPAN, Mr Aliyu Angara said LAoFM was an indication of shared commitment to addressing the challenges of malnutrition and hidden hunger in the country.
Angara, represented by Christian Eboh, Director at the Institute, said IPAN would continue to work assiduously to achieve the objectives and sustainability of the course to impact nutrition, food quality and security.
NAN
