By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
The growing push to fortify ultra-processed foods with vitamins and minerals is facing criticism, with concerns that adding nutrients to products high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats could create a misleading impression of healthy eating.
Humphrey Ukeaja, the Industry Monitoring Officer at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, raised the concern in an opinion article, questioning the promotion of bouillon cubes, instant noodles, sugary beverages and packaged snacks as vehicles for tackling Nigeria’s hidden hunger crisis.
Ukeaja acknowledges that food fortification can help address micronutrient deficiencies but argues that using ultra-processed foods as delivery vehicles could send mixed signals to consumers and undermine efforts to encourage healthier dietary choices.
He notes that Nigeria has implemented micronutrient supplementation, food fortification and agriculture-sensitive nutrition programmes for years, yet access to diverse and nutritious foods remains a challenge due to food insecurity, inflation and declining household purchasing power.
According to Ukeaja, Nigeria is also facing a growing burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases, driven in part by an unhealthy food environment and increased consumption of ultra-processed products.
He describes the promotion of nutrient-enhanced ultra-processed foods as “nutri-washing,” arguing that highlighting added vitamins and minerals could divert attention from concerns over their sodium, sugar, unhealthy fats and other additives.
Ukeaja further cautions that excessive industry influence over food fortification policies could place commercial interests ahead of public health and undermine efforts to reduce sodium consumption and promote agriculture-sensitive nutrition interventions.
He therefore calls on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to strengthen safeguards against conflicts of interest and ensure that food policies prioritise the health of Nigerians, particularly children and pregnant and lactating women.
Ukeaja advocates greater investment in affordable, wholesome foods and agriculture-based nutrition solutions, including iron-fortified cassava, zinc-fortified maize and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, as well as initiatives such as home gardening to improve household access to micronutrient-rich foods.