Adeyeye made the appeal on Friday in Abuja during the launch of the Read the Food Label Campaign, an initiative organised by NAFDAC in partnership with the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the University of Abuja and other development partners.
She explained that the campaign seeks to equip consumers with the knowledge required to understand food labels and make healthier decisions about the foods they consume as diet-related illnesses continue to rise.
“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 Director-General, food labels serve a much greater purpose than meeting regulatory requirements, describing them as essential public health tools that provide valuable information on the nutritional value 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.
She revealed that her commitment to checking food labels began after her son experienced a reaction to a food additive during childhood, an incident that changed the way she shops for food.
“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 said.
Adeyeye noted that frequent consumption of foods containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats has played a major role in the rising incidence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
Quoting figures from the World Health Organization, she said non-communicable diseases account for about 29 per cent of all deaths recorded 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 further explained that the Read the Food Label Campaign is designed as a long-term public health initiative aimed at making food label reading a regular habit while encouraging healthier eating through informed dietary choices.
Also speaking at the event, the Lead Investigator on Cardiovascular Health at the University of Abuja, Prof. Dike Ojji, described unhealthy eating habits as one of the leading causes of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses in the country.
He said the University of Abuja has contributed significantly to research that shaped Nigeria’s 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.
He assured stakeholders that the institution would continue supporting initiatives that promote public awareness and healthier food choices.
The President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Salisu Maiwada, also pledged the society’s commitment to the campaign, saying nutrition professionals across the country would help spread awareness 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,” Maiwada said.
In his remarks, CAPPA representative Abayomi Sarumi described the initiative as a timely intervention that would improve nutrition literacy and encourage Nigerians to make healthier food choices.
Nigeria continues to experience a growing burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases as changing lifestyles and increased consumption of ultra-processed foods fuel rising cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and some forms of cancer. Health experts have consistently advocated stronger food labelling policies and increased consumer education to help Nigerians better understand the nutritional content of packaged foods before buying them.