By Ojoma Akor
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and civil society organizations have harped on the need to strengthen local food fortification towards tackling the burden of malnutrition in the country.
They made the call Thursday during a nutrition roundtable meeting organized by Nigeria Health Watch in Abuja. It was themed “Strengthening Local Food Fortification to Combat Malnutrition in Nigeria.”
Food fortification refers to the process of adding essential vitamins on and minerals (such as iron, Vitamin A, folic acid, iodine, and zinc) to staple foods to prevent micronutrient deficiencies.
The permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollum said
Nigeria was facing a triple burden of malnutrition: Undernutrition, over nutrition and micronutrient deficiency also called ‘Hidden Hunger’.
She said micronutrient deficiencies impair cognitive development, reduce productivity, and increase maternal and child mortality.
She said, “Our diets, dominated by calorie-dense but nutrient-poor staples like maize, cassava, and rice, leave millions without the essential vitamins and minerals needed to thrive.”
Quoting the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, the permanent secretary said the rate of stunting in the country is 40 per cent, wasting eight per cent, while underweight is 27 per cent among children six to 59 months old.
She stated that the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey showed that micronutrient inadequacy among key population groups is very high coupled with the fact that 79 per cent of the population are food insecure.
She said, “Consequently, among children aged six–59 months, one in three is vitamin A deficient, more than one in three is zinc deficient, and over 20 per cent suffer from iron deficiency. “Furthermore, adolescent girls and pregnant women face alarming rates of vitamin A and iron deficiency, directly threatening maternal health and the survival of newborns.”
Kachollum said that available evidence shows that Nigeria has made strides in the mandatory fortification, achieving near-universal salt iodization – about 95 per cent, and satisfactory fortification of wheat flour, sugar, and vegetable oil.
She added that to enhance uptake and implementation, the relevant government entities are operationalising evidence-based approaches such as routine regulatory oversight, regulatory collaboration, private sector incentives, consumer protection, to mention a few.
She however added that compliance remains inconsistent, particularly among Micro – Small – and Medium – Enterprises, where fortificant levels often fall short of standards due to various factors not limited to weak enforcement, low awareness, and inadequate access to affordable premixes.
She said, “While we have local premix blending plants, the industry relies heavily on imported raw materials — a dependency that inflates costs, exposes us to currency volatility, and erodes public trust.Strengthening domestic premix production is not just an economic necessity—it is a national imperative.”
The Director, Department of Nutrition Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, in her presentation titled ‘ Addressing the Fortification Gap: Strengthening Local Systems to Scale Impact and Save Lives’
said food fortification plays a crucial role in combating malnutrition and end micronutrient deficiencies.
She said it is a cost-effective, scalable intervention that could significantly improve health outcomes, particularly in poor access to diverse diets or specific nutrients.
Represented by the deputy director food safety and applied nutrition at National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) Hannatu Bobboi, she said food fortification matters because it improved public health, reduced healthcare costs and enhanced productivity , among others.
She highlighted that despite concerted efforts, inconsistent gaps still exist in fortification compliance, particularly at recommended levels is still not We impressive .
On the gaps in local capacity , she said
there is insufficient capacity of local manufacturers and blenders of Premix + Competency of testing laboratories, and that there is reliance on Imported Premix. coupled with foreign exchange costs and inflation.
The Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, said Nigeria faces a malnutrition crisis that threatens the health and productivity of millions of its citizens.
“Our ranking of 110th out of 127 countries on the 2024 Global Hunger Index, with a score that reflects a serious level of hunger, is a sobering reminder that urgent action is required,” she said.
Whe saying that malnutrition in Nigeria is not just about insufficient calories, she said it is about the hidden hunger caused by micronutrient deficiencies — a silent crisis that stunts growth, weakens immunity, diminishes learning capacity, and undermines economic progress.
Represented by the Deputy Director of Advocacy of the organization, Mrs Safiya Isa, she added that the heavy reliance on calorie-rich but nutrient-poor staples has left too many of the country’s children, women, and communities vulnerable.
She said, “Food fortification offers one of the most proven, cost-effective, and scalable solutions to this challenge. Yet, our progress is hampered by inconsistent compliance with fortification standards, particularly among the Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) that make up the backbone of our food supply chain. “They struggle with access to affordable premixes, financing, and quality assurance systems, resulting in fortified foods that often fall short of the required nutrient levels.”
