LAGOS,
Nigeria, December 17th, 2019,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Significant
progress has been made in fortifying Nigerian staple foods with micronutrients,
critical for improving the population’s health and nutrition, according to data
presented today at the 2nd Annual Nigeria Food Processing and Leadership Forum.
The meeting, chaired by Alhaji Aliko Dangote with Bill Gates participating by
video conference, convened the CEOs of Nigeria’s leading food processing
companies alongside government and international development leaders to review
18 months of progress since the inaugural forum in July 2018.
According to data presented by the
international non-governmental organization TechnoServe, a number of companies
have significantly improved their compliance with food fortification standards
since commitments they made at last year’s forum. Among six of the leading
producers of staple foods in Nigeria, the proportion of adequately fortified
wheat flour increased from 58 percent to 74 percent; fortified edible oil
increased from 63 percent to 75 percent; fortified sugar increased from 32
percent to 84 percent; and salt iodization levels are maintained at nearly 100
percent. Together, these producers account for 90 percent or more of the
production volume of these foods-except for edible oil, for which they
represent closer to 40 percent of the production volume.
These efforts are part of the Strengthening
African Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF) project focused on increasing
consumer access to adequately fortified foods, implemented by TechnoServe with
support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“We are demonstrating that when companies
champion their role in delivering healthy products for consumers, it also
delivers good business outcomes,” said Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the
Aliko Dangote Foundation. “By creating a common set of compliance standards,
while also giving companies the tools they need to effectively fortify their
foods, we are creating a sustainable path to delivering Nigerians food that
will help them live healthier, more productive lives.”
While the progress is commendable, there’s
still significant work needed to achieve project goals and maximize public
health impact. While the food producers reviewed represent a majority of the
market share for wheat flour, salt and sugar, all producers of these staple
foods should be in full compliance with government-mandated fortification
levels-which is key to ensuring that all Nigerians benefit from more
micronutrients in their diet. Local refining of edible oil in Nigeria is less
consolidated compared to other staple food products and needs coordination
amongst multiple stakeholders to ensure a higher proportion is fortified with
vitamin A.
To strengthen industry-wide compliance,
TechnoServe has been working with a number of private sector partners to pilot
Nigeria’s first-ever Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI). The MFI is a tool
that effectively differentiates companies by the extent to which they meet
industry benchmarks, including compliance with Nigerian Fortification
Standards. Companies’ overall scores will be presented in a dashboard that will
be updated annually to show progress and gaps-ultimately contributing to a
robust industry-wide platform that emphasizes quality standards as a Key
Performance Indicator (KPI).
“The next level of action for the Flour
Milling Association of Nigeria is that we envisage industry-wide application of
the MFI and we believe that this will happen. It will give us greater leverage
and provide us with a platform to make a case for increased advocacy to the
relevant authorities to ensure that all inputs that go into the practice of
fortification meet the required standards,” said Alhaji Olalekan Saliu,
Executive Secretary of the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria.
The forum also reviewed progress on the Joint
Regulatory Framework (JRF), which coordinates the enforcement of industry
activities by the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and the Federal
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). Following an
inter-ministerial meeting in November, policy recommendations moving forward
include advocating for increased national budgetary allocations towards
nutrition and fortification, increased monitoring of imported fortificants and
premixes, and establishing a collaborative border control mechanism that
ensures edible oil imports are recorded and conform to Nigerian Standards.
“Malnutrition doesn’t just kill more than 2
million kids each year, it also stunts the cognitive development of millions
more,” said Bill Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “That’s
why I’m inspired by the work that’s happening in Nigeria. By fortifying staple
foods, the country is making sure that an entire generation of children survive
and grow up to meet their full potential.”
Worldwide, more than 2 billion people suffer
from micronutrient malnutrition-deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals
that are integral to healthy growth and development. Fortifying staple
foods-such as oil, flour, salt and sugar-with vitamins and minerals has been
proven to be one of the most cost-effective and scalable tools to combat malnutrition
and save lives.
One out of three Nigerian children under five
are stunted-their bodies and brains deprived of the key nutrients they need to
fully develop to reach their full potential. Over the long-term, stunting
results in a 10 to 17 percent loss of
wages. When multiplied across the nation, it’s estimated that Nigeria loses
more than US$1.5 billion in GDP annually as a result of diminished productivity
and increased healthcare costs.
“Nigeria will be the world’s third largest
country by 2050. If we don’t address it now, poor nutrition threatens to hinder
our ability to prosper and play a leading role in the global economy,” said
Larry Umunna, West Africa Regional Director, TechnoServe.
Just this year, a systematic review and
meta-analysis of 50 studies found that large-scale fortification programs in
low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have led to dramatic reductions in
serious disease in those countries, helping to achieve a 34% reduction in
anemia from improved iron stores; a 74% reduction in the odds of goitre and a
significant reduction in iodine deficiency; a 41% decrease in the odds of
neural tube defects due to reductions of folate deficiency among women of
reproductive age; and an approximate reduction in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) for
three million children (0-9 years) in just one year, significantly reducing
their risk of mortality.
The event was co-convened by the Aliko Dangote
Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and TechnoServe.