The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has directed producers of vegetable oil and salt found to have failed to meet prescribed fortification standards to ensure full compliance with national food policy.
The directive followed a survey conducted by the Commission in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), which revealed that some samples of vegetable oil and salt collected from Nigerian markets and households were inadequately fortified.
Results of the analysis of 200 samples, comprising 100 vegetable oil and 100 salt samples, showed that 12 per cent of the vegetable oil and two per cent of the salt tested were inadequately fortified at the household level. 
The two-month survey was conducted across randomly selected markets and homes in the northern and southern parts of the country.
The exercise adopted a Household Food Fortification Survey methodology, supported by the Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+) platform, developed by GAIN to improve the monitoring and traceability of fortified food products.
Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) involves adding essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, folic acid, vitamin A, zinc and iodine, to widely consumed staple foods and condiments during industrial processing.
The practice is aimed at addressing micronutrient deficiencies and reducing hidden hunger, a public health challenge affecting millions of people, particularly pre-school children and women of reproductive age.
Under Nigeria’s national food policy, manufacturers are required to fortify their products with prescribed micronutrients.
The survey also identified gaps in the registration of manufacturers on the DFQT+ platform, which is designed to track fortified food products from production to consumption.
Of the 100 vegetable oil samples analysed, 49 were unbranded, while 51 carried identifiable brands. Devon Kings accounted for 19 samples, Power Oil 12, Activa four, Golden Penny three, Laziz Oil three and Mamador one.
Other brands sampled included Lasor Oil, Golden Terra, Canola, Primo Vegetable Oil, Zimzitana Oil, Ayarah Oil, Sim, Tadenkey and Okli.
For salt, 19 samples were unbranded, while 81 were branded. Mr Chef accounted for 71 samples and Dangote 10.
The Commission disclosed that only six vegetable oil producers had registered on the digital traceability platform.
Furthermore, only eight results, belonging to three of the six registered companies, were uploaded out of the 100 vegetable oil sample results analysed.
Consequently, the FCCPC said it had issued a directive compelling defaulting producers to comply with the applicable requirements.
It also urged manufacturers, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), to embrace product registration and digital traceability, while encouraging consumers to understand the importance of fortified foods and proper product handling and storage.
Speaking on the findings, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said consumers deserved to have confidence in the quality of products they purchased and the benefits such products were expected to deliver.
Bello explained that consumer protection went beyond resolving complaints and addressing harmful business practices, stressing that it also involved ensuring that consumers received the value and benefits they were entitled to expect from products in the marketplace.
He further emphasised the responsibility of businesses to maintain appropriate quality standards and ensure that their products met applicable requirements.
The Commission said it had also escalated the findings to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action, in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between both agencies.
