The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), led by its Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, has moved to strengthen food fortification compliance among manufacturers in Nigeria following a two-month survey that found inadequate nutrient levels in some vegetable oil and salt samples collected from markets and households across the country.
The Commission announced the enforcement move in a statement issued on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after working with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) on an assessment of the quality of fortified food products.
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The survey examined 200 samples, comprising 100 vegetable oil samples and 100 salt samples.
Its findings showed that 12 per cent of the vegetable oil samples and two per cent of the salt samples were inadequately fortified at household level.
The assessment also identified gaps in manufacturers’ participation in the Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+) platform, a system designed to improve monitoring, transparency and traceability of food fortification across the production and supply chain.
According to the Commission, only six vegetable oil producers had registered on the platform. Of those, just eight test results, belonging to three companies, had been uploaded.
The FCCPC said it had issued a directive compelling defaulting producers to meet the required standards and improve their participation in the digital monitoring system.
It also urged manufacturers, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to register and embrace digital traceability.
Bello said consumer protection extended beyond ensuring that products were available in the market to making certain that buyers received the quality and nutritional benefits promised by manufacturers.
He stressed that consumers should be able to trust the quality of the products they purchase, adding that businesses had a responsibility to maintain the required standards.
The Commission said the findings had also been escalated to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in line with an existing memorandum of understanding between both agencies.
The sample composition showed that 49 of the vegetable oil samples were unbranded, while 51 carried identifiable brand names.
Among the branded oil samples, Devon Kings accounted for 19, Power Oil 12, Activa four, Golden Penny three and Laziz Oil three.
Other brands represented in the samples included Mamador, Lasor Oil, Golden Terra, Canola, Primo Vegetable Oil, Zimzitana Oil, Ayarah Oil, Sim, Tadenkey and Okli.
For salt, 19 samples were unbranded and 81 were branded. Mr Chef accounted for 71 of the branded samples, while Dangote accounted for 10.
The Commission’s statement did not identify the specific brands responsible for the inadequate fortification results.
The figures therefore describe the composition of the samples examined and should not be interpreted as evidence that any particular named brand failed the required standards.
Nigeria’s food fortification programme is intended to address micronutrient deficiencies by ensuring that commonly consumed foods contain essential vitamins and minerals.
Under the country’s food fortification regulations, vegetable oil is required to contain vitamin A, while table salt must be fortified with iodine.
The requirements form part of a wider national effort to improve nutrition through staple foods that are regularly consumed by households.
GAIN has previously documented Nigeria’s mandatory fortification programme, noting that salt fortification began in 1993, while requirements for other food products were introduced from 2002.
However, monitoring compliance across manufacturers, markets and households has remained a challenge.
A 2025 report by BusinessDay on the DFQT+ platform highlighted how the digital system was designed to help producers and regulators share fortification data in real time, making it easier to trace quality concerns along the supply chain.
The platform was developed through collaboration involving GAIN, government agencies and industry stakeholders.
Its purpose is to strengthen accountability by improving access to reliable production and testing information, while supporting more effective regulatory oversight.
The latest FCCPC intervention places renewed emphasis on manufacturers’ responsibility to comply with fortification requirements and provide consumers with products that deliver their stated nutritional benefits.
For consumers, the issue goes beyond product labelling.
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It concerns whether essential nutrients are present at the required levels in everyday food items, and whether regulatory agencies can identify and address shortcomings before they undermine public health.
