The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has declared that Nido infant milk formula, alleged to contain sugar or honey. is not registered or sold in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency clarified that it had not registered the alleged product and was not aware of its circulation within the country.
Adeyeye addressed concerns raised by an online publication suggesting that a leading consumer goods company had included sugar and honey in infant milk and cereal products, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases.
The report, dated April 17, 2024, had gained wide circulation. Adeyeye highlighted that the report indicated samples of baby food products sold across Asia, Africa, and Latin America underwent testing, uncovering the addition of sugar and honey, in the form of sucrose, within samples of Nido and Cerelac.
“The Management of NAFDAC wishes to use this medium to reassure the public that the Agency exercises due regulatory diligence in the registration of infant and young children foods distributed and used in Nigeria.”
According to Adeyeye, processed Cereal-Based Foods (NIS 256:2010) and the Codex Standard for Processed Cereal-based Foods for Infants and Young Children (CXS 74-1981, adopted in 1981 and subsequently revised in 2006, with amendments in 2017, 2019, and 2023) are adhered to, alongside relevant NAFDAC regulations, to ensure compliance with safety, quality, and labeling standards.