NAFDAC trans fat ban Nigeria: Food firms get 18 months to eliminate industrial trans fats in a major national public health move

The NAFDAC trans fat ban Nigeria policy has given food manufacturers 18 months to completely eliminate industrially produced trans-fatty acids from all products.

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced the move on Friday as part of a new national strategy to curb a growing public health threat.

Trans fats, commonly found in processed oils, baked goods, and fried foods, have been scientifically linked to heart disease, stroke, and premature death.

The agency’s new roadmap adopts a phased approach that includes product reformulation, improved laboratory testing, compliance monitoring, and public education.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said in a keynote address shared on X that the roadmap marks a shift from policy creation to active enforcement.

“The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement but also a moral imperative,” she stated. “Eliminating these fats is possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent.”

According to NAFDAC, the 18-month transition period allows manufacturers to exhaust existing stock and reformulate their recipes to meet the new limits.

This landmark initiative comes after Nigeria was recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2023 for adopting best-practice policies on trans-fat elimination.

The new strategy is expected to secure WHO validation of Nigeria’s full elimination programme and position the country as a regional leader in public health reform.

NAFDAC noted that this action targets one of the most harmful dietary risk factors worldwide. WHO recommends that industrial trans fats be completely removed from the food supply and that daily intake should not exceed one per cent of total energy consumption.

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Several countries, including Denmark, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and South Africa, have successfully implemented mandatory reformulation policies to eliminate or strictly limit trans fats a path Nigeria now aims to follow decisively.