As cases of diet-related illnesses continue to rise across Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged Nigerians to make reading food labels a daily habit to protect their health and make informed dietary choices.
The call was made on Friday by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, during the launch of the Read the Food Label Campaign in Abuja. The initiative, organised in collaboration with the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the University of Abuja and other stakeholders, aims to improve nutrition awareness and encourage healthier eating habits.
According to Adeyeye, food labels are more than regulatory requirements—they are essential public health tools that provide consumers with vital information about nutritional content and product safety.
She urged Nigerians to make checking food labels a routine practice before purchasing any food item, stressing that informed choices can help reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Sharing a personal experience, the NAFDAC boss revealed that her commitment to reading food labels began after her young son reacted to a food additive.
“That experience made me develop the habit of reading food labels because I wanted to ensure my family stayed healthy. Whenever I shop, I immediately check the sugar content, sodium level and other nutritional information,” she said.
Adeyeye warned that excessive consumption of foods high in sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats is driving the increase in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
Citing World Health Organization data, she noted that non-communicable diseases account for about 29 per cent of deaths in the country, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for the highest number of fatalities.
She explained that the campaign forms part of NAFDAC’s broader strategy to improve nutrition literacy and empower Nigerians to make healthier food choices.
Also speaking, the Lead Investigator on Cardiovascular Health at the University of Abuja, Prof. Dike Ojji, said unhealthy diets have become a major cause of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses in the country.
He noted that the university’s research has played a key role in developing national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling.
The President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Salisu Maiwada, pledged the society’s support for the campaign, promising to extend awareness programmes to schools, communities and local government areas nationwide.
Similarly, CAPPA representative Abayomi Sarumi described the initiative as a timely intervention that would strengthen nutrition awareness and help Nigerians make healthier food choices.
The campaign is part of NAFDAC’s ongoing efforts to combat the growing prevalence of diet-related diseases by promoting informed consumer decisions and healthier lifestyles.
