NAFDAC unleashes battle against deadly fats

In an earth-shattering proclamation that rattles the foundations of dietary norms, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) emerges as the indomitable sentinel of Nigerian well-being.

With a seismic surge of courage, NAFDAC unveils the epochal Fats, Oil, and Food containing Fats and Oil Regulation 2022, plunging headlong into a relentless crusade to shield the nation’s health.

At the helm of this revolutionary charge stands the invincible Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the resolute Director-General of NAFDAC. Amidst the electrifying pulse of Lagos, she ignites the second incendiary flare — the Pre-Packaged Food Labelling Regulation 2022. In her gaze, it transforms into a weapon of empowerment, an emblem of change forged in the fires of dedication.

A symphony of metamorphosis crescendos, guided by the clarion call of the 2018 World Health Assembly in Geneva. It’s a breathtaking opera set to eradicate the nefarious specter of industrially-produced Trans Fatty Acid (TFAs) from global culinary arsenals, an unyielding assault on the lurking shadows of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs).

With the force of a hurricane, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye unveils a stark revelation carved into the annals of time by the World Health Organisation (WHO): NCDs, the insidious specters haunting societies, claim a jaw-dropping 74% of lives worldwide. Heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes—their ruthless grip knows no bounds. In Nigeria, the battlefront is equally ferocious, as NCDs wage a silent war of attrition that exacts a harrowing toll.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye thunders, “NAFDAC gazetted two regulations on fat and oil to determine the minimal amount allowable in foods to safeguard the health of Nigerians.” This isn’t mere rhetoric; it’s a solemn pact, a covenant to shield the nation’s health with unassailable vigilance.

Laying bare the mysteries of nutrition, she introduces the labelling gazette — a beacon of transparency in the complex maze of dietary choices. It’s a revelation that emboldens consumers, an instrument to navigate the labyrinthine world of fats and oils hidden within our sustenance. A new era of enlightened decisions dawns.

But this is no mere proclamation; it’s an embodiment of resolve. Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye asserts, “What we eat can kill, and we want to make sure Nigerians don’t ingest what may prove fatal.” These words resonate like a rallying cry, echoing with the fervor to shield lives from impending danger.

The stage is set for a symphony of transformation, a coalition etched in the annals of history. NAFDAC joins hands with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and an unwavering assembly of partners. Together, they forge a dual-pronged path to revolution, an ode to their unwavering commitment.

Enter Mr. Atanda John, the formidable Director of Food Safety and Quality at the Federal Ministry of Health, a harbinger of impending policies that will enshrine these regulations into an impregnable legal fortress. Dr. Jerome Mateni, a representative of NHED, lends his voice to the chorus of transformation, acknowledging the resounding impact of these regulations on heralding a new era of health enlightenment.

In a crescendo of seismic significance, NAFDAC rises as the vanguard of change, the bulwark that echoes the anthem of health preservation. As the curtain falls on this epochal saga, the clarion call for more public-private partnerships reverberates, an anthem for a fortified, healthier Nigeria.