The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has inaugurated a comprehensive Strategy and Roadmap for Trans-Fatty Acid (TFA) Regulation in Nigeria to strengthen food safety and protect public health.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Mr. Olusayo Akintola, who described the initiative as a milestone in Nigeria’s fight against unhealthy dietary risks.
The statement noted that the inauguration reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerians from harmful dietary components linked to heart disease, stroke, and premature death through stronger regulations and improved enforcement mechanisms.
Quoting the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the statement said Nigeria had taken bold action by setting a limit of not more than two grams of industrially produced trans fats per 100 grams of total fat in food products.
Adeyeye recalled that the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2023, recognised Nigeria as one of only seven countries globally implementing best-practice trans-fat elimination policies aimed at improving population health and promoting longevity.
She explained that the newly inaugurated roadmap outlines a phased strategy focusing on food industry reformulation, laboratory capacity strengthening, compliance monitoring, public education, and stakeholder collaboration for sustainable implementation.
The NAFDAC chief disclosed that, with support from partners such as the WHO and Resolve to Save Lives, the agency had expanded its laboratory capacity to analyse trans fats, thereby accelerating nationwide enforcement and implementation.
Adeyeye called on government agencies, industry leaders, civil society, and consumers to work together towards achieving WHO validation, stressing that eliminating industrially produced trans fats in Nigeria was both urgent and achievable.
She reaffirmed that the roadmap demonstrates Nigeria’s strong commitment to protecting public health, promoting healthier food practices, and creating a future free from the harmful effects of trans-fatty acids.
