The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced an 18-month grace period, giving food manufacturers until early 2026 to fully comply with new regulations aimed at eliminating industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFAs). This initiative, rolled out as part of a comprehensive strategy and roadmap, marks Nigeria’s shift from policy adoption to active. enforcement of its internationally recognised standard: limiting industrial TFAs to no more than two grams per 100 grams of total fat or oil.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, highlighted in her keynote speech—shared via the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, that the roadmap signals a move from policy drafting to rigorous enforcement and implementation.
She described the effort as both a technical achievement and a moral obligation, stressing that eliminating industrial TFAs is “possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent,” and urging collective national action.
The moratorium is intended to give manufacturers time to phase out old stock with non-compliant labels and reformulate their products in line with the legal requirements.
By targeting TFAs, a major dietary risk factor linked to heart disease, stroke, and premature death, NAFDAC is taking a decisive step to protect public health. Adeyeye reiterated that the initiative goes beyond meeting technical standards, underlining its ethical significance.
This move builds on Nigeria’s progress, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised the country in 2023 for adopting best-practice TFA elimination measures. With the new roadmap, Nigeria is positioning itself for WHO validation of its full TFA elimination programme, further cementing its role as a regional leader in public health.
