NAFDAC starts campaign urging Nigerians to check food labels

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has kicked off a nationwide campaign to get Nigerians to read and understand food labels before buying packaged foods. They say this is a vital step to tackle the rising number of diet-related diseases in the country.

The campaign, called "Read the Food Label Campaign," was launched in Abuja on Thursday with help from public health organizations and development partners.

Speaking online at the launch, NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, said the campaign aims to give consumers the knowledge they need to read food labels and make better food choices.

She called food labels important tools for public health, saying they offer details on the nutritional value, ingredients, and safety of packaged foods.

Promoting informed food choices

Mrs Adeyeye urged Nigerians to get into the habit of reading food labels before buying packaged foods. She emphasized the need to pay close attention to sugar, sodium, and other nutritional details.

She shared a personal story about why she checks food labels. Her son had a bad reaction to a food additive when he was younger.

"Whenever I go shopping, I immediately check the food label. I look at the sugar content, the sodium level, and other nutritional information because food labels communicate essential health, safety, and nutritional information," she said.

She mentioned that food labels are a direct way for manufacturers to communicate with consumers. This is crucial as shoppers face many processed food options.

According to her, the campaign aims to create a lasting culture of informed food choices and is not just a one-time awareness exercise.

Tackling non-communicable diseases

Mrs Adeyeye connected the campaign to Nigeria's growing issue with diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Unhealthy diets are a significant risk factor for diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and heart problems.

She quoted the World Health Organisation (WHO), stating that NCDs cause about 29 percent of all deaths in Nigeria. Heart diseases account for about 11 percent, cancers four percent, chronic respiratory diseases two percent, and diabetes one percent.

She noted that many of these deaths come from too much salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, and highly processed foods.

"In today’s increasingly complex food environment, characterized by rapid urbanization, aggressive food marketing, and the growing availability of ultra-processed foods, consumers are confronted with an overwhelming number of food choices every day," she said.

She added that understanding food labels is especially important for people with conditions like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and food allergies.

Mrs Adeyeye also said NAFDAC is working with food manufacturers to cut down on salt in processed foods. She believes informed consumers can push for more transparency and accountability in the food industry.

Stakeholders endorse campaign

Development partners and civil society groups at the event praised the initiative. They see it as an important step toward better public health and consumer protection.

Emmanuel Sokpo, Country Director of the Network for Health Equity and Development, said the campaign would help foster a culture of informed decision-making and better eating habits.

He said giving consumers accurate nutritional information would lead to stronger food systems and better health outcomes.

Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, who was represented by Abayomi Sarumi, said the campaign is timely. Nigerians are increasingly facing aggressively marketed ultra-processed foods.

He explained that understanding food labels would help consumers spot products high in sugar, salt, trans fats, and other harmful nutrients linked to hypertension, obesity, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

Mr Oluwafemi added that the campaign matches CAPPA’s push for healthier food policies and promised the organization’s support to improve Nigeria’s food environment.

Nanlop Ogbureke, Executive Director of Resolve to Save Lives Nigeria, also praised NAFDAC for launching this timely initiative to boost consumer awareness. She noted that while food labels provide valuable nutritional information, many Nigerians find it hard to understand them due to complex language and small print. This makes campaigns like this essential for promoting healthier food choices.