NAFDAC Urges Nigerians to Read Food Labels Before Buying Packaged Foods

(NAFDAC. photo Credit: Guardian Nigeria)

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has urged Nigerians to develop the habit of reading food labels before purchasing packaged foods, as a step toward making healthier dietary choices and reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the call on Friday during the launch of the Read the Food Label Campaign in Abuja, stating that food labels provide important information on the nutritional content and safety of products and should be consulted before any purchase.

“The ability of consumers to understand, interpret and apply information on food labels has never been more important,” she said.

According to her, excessive consumption of foods high in sugar, salt, saturated fats, and trans fats has contributed to the rising cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and other diet-related illnesses across the country.

Prof. Adeyeye noted that the campaign, organised in collaboration with development partners, is aimed at improving nutrition literacy and empowering consumers to make more informed food choices.

She stressed that reading food labels should become a routine practice for all consumers, adding that greater awareness of nutritional information would support broader efforts to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.