The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has urged Nigerians to make reading food labels a routine before purchasing packaged foods, warning that unhealthy diets are fueling the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the country.
Adeyeye made the call on Friday in Abuja at the launch of the Read the Food Label Campaign, organised by NAFDAC in collaboration with the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the University of Abuja, and other development partners.
She said the campaign is designed to empower consumers with the knowledge needed to understand food labels and make healthier dietary choices amid the growing burden of diet-related illnesses.
“Today marks another significant milestone in our collective efforts to protect and promote the health of Nigerians by empowering consumers with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed food choices,” she said.
According to the NAFDAC boss, food labels are more than regulatory requirements—they are essential public health tools that provide consumers with critical information about the nutritional content and safety of food products.
“Reading food labels should become a shared responsibility. Everyone who purchases food should make it a habit to read food labels before making a purchase,” Adeyeye said.
Health Challenges Related to Food
She recalled that a childhood allergic reaction experienced by her son due to a food additive inspired her to adopt the habit of checking food labels whenever she shops.
“My son reacted to a food additive when he was very young. That experience made me develop the habit of reading food labels because I wanted to ensure my family stayed healthy. Whenever I go shopping, I immediately check the sugar content, sodium level and other nutritional information,” she explained.
Adeyeye warned that excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, saturated fats and trans fats has significantly contributed to the growing prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
Citing World Health Organization data, she said non-communicable diseases account for approximately 29 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for the highest proportion.
“The ability of consumers to understand, interpret and apply information on food labels has never been more important,” she added.
She explained that the Read the Food Label Campaign is a long-term public health initiative aimed at institutionalising a culture of reading food labels and using nutritional information to make healthier food choices.
Read the Label Campaign
Also speaking, the Lead Investigator on Cardiovascular Health at the University of Abuja, Prof. Dike Ojji, said unhealthy diets have become a major driver of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses in Nigeria.
He noted that the university has contributed significantly to research that informed national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling.
“The University of Abuja has been at the forefront of ensuring proper food labelling in Nigeria. Our research findings have been highly valuable in developing national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling,” Ojji said.
The President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Salisu Maiwada, pledged the society’s support for the initiative, stating that nutrition professionals nationwide would promote the campaign in schools, communities and local government areas.
“We have members in every local government area of Nigeria. We are present in schools and communities, and we will take this campaign to every part of the country. We will also dedicate part of our annual conference in September to promoting the campaign,” he said.
The representative of CAPPA, Abayomi Sarumi, described the campaign as a timely initiative that would improve nutrition literacy and encourage healthier dietary decisions.
Public health experts have consistently advocated stronger food labelling regulations and consumer education as Nigeria faces a growing burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases driven by changing lifestyles and increased consumption of ultra-processed foods.
NAFDAC said the Read the Food Label Campaign forms part of its broader strategy to improve nutrition literacy, encourage healthier eating habits and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases through informed consumer choices.SEO
