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Proliferation of unregistered processed and packaged food products in both physical and online markets despite the existence of regulatory agencies poses significant risks to public health and safety, reports CHIJIOKE IREMEKA

At a busy makeshift stall in Oyingbo Market, Lagos known for its vast sales of food items, Mr John Udom, a trader in his late thirties, was serving his many customers.

With a blend of humour and skilful price haggling, he reassured each buyer that they would be satisfied with their purchases.

After a few minutes of lively negotiations with the other customers, he turned to our correspondent and in the same manner, requested what items would be purchased.

Our correspondent requested several brands of packaged powdered paps, corn and cassava flours.

Seemingly glad to have a customer with multiple orders, Udom reeled off the order to his shop assistant stationed in the inner parts of the shop.

Shortly after, the items were brought and the trader listed the prices of each item.

In a bid to confirm the correctness of the product, this correspondent carefully perused each item for the brand’s name and product labelling, which includes, the declaration of content of ingredients under composition, expiry or best before and manufacture dating as well as the batch or lot numbers.

According to the Pre-Packaged Food, Water and Ice (Labelling) Regulations 2019 of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, it is prohibited to manufacture, import, export, distribute, advertise, sell or use a pre-packaged food without a date marking, batch number, registration number, name of the food, brand name, labelling information, list of ingredients, name, address and contact information of the manufacturer or distributor, among other requirements.

Date marking involves a legible display of “the day, month and year of manufacture on the label; when a food must be consumed before a certain date to ensure its safety and quality the “Use-by Date” or “Expiration Date”, the “Best-Before Date” or “Best Quality Before Date” shall be declared.”

Missing NAFDAC REG NO

Still at Udom’s store, this correspondent discovered that almost all the packaged items lacked a NAFDAC Registration Number, the manufacturer’s details, except cell phone numbers.

The NAFDAC REG NO or NRN is a unique registration number or certificate of registration issued after a product has passed the quality and standard test carried out by the agency.

After the discovery, this correspondent told Udom that the items lacked the numbers.

For example, the powdered pap and fufu (cassava flour) produced by Madam Aloevera Foods, had no NRN and no product details, except an address of No 1, Market Street, Oyingbo, Lagos State and a phone number.

A check of NAFDAC’s registration site for the food product brought the result, “No matching records found.”

Surprisingly, Udom’s response showed that he was aware he displayed and sold a range of unregistered products and that such action was a crime prohibited under the NAFDAC Drug and Related Product Labelling Regulations, 2019.

Defending his actions, Udom stated that he chose that path because of the lucrative nature and that the cumbersome process of product registration with NAFDAC forced many traders to sell unregistered products.

The trader would later tell our correspondent that he also produces a cocoyam powder under the brand name, “Grace Cocoyam Flour.”

As it is with Madam Aloevera Foods, it’s the same with Grace Cocoyam flour.

Udom claimed to have sought product registration from the regulatory body in 2022 but abandoned the process when asked to get an apartment for a business different from his residence.

The school leaver also stated that the registration process was laborious and expensive, explaining that a long list of requirements for the registration often forces struggling traders to delay the registration until a later time.

NRN requirements

NAFDAC’s official website states that product registration takes approximately 90 days for food products and 120 days for drugs, provided there are no delays in the process.

The applicants are required to submit all necessary documents, an application letter following NAFDAC’s guidelines, relevant information and a description of the facility and submit samples of the products for laboratory analysis and ensure all required payments were made promptly.

Regarding Compliance Directives, NAFDAC requires clients to comply within seven days of issuance and failure may result in the cancellation of the application. Any delay caused by the client will not be counted within the 90-day registration period.

“All registration processes with timelines start with the submission of application (0 days); document verification (10 days); facility inspection/sampling for food (10 days), 20 days for drugs; laboratory analysis for food (30 days), and 40 days for drugs.  Final vetting (10 days) and approval meeting/issuance of NAFDAC registration number for 20 days,” the statement added.

Voyage of more discoveries

After the encounter with Udom, our correspondent investigated several markets to uncover more of these unregistered food items.

Among the products found and purchased by our correspondent as proof include unregistered guinea corn pap powder (330g); beans flour (500g); cassava flour (fufu 500g); and cocoyam flour.

Others are basmati long grain rice (1kg) for people living with diabetes; oats; soybean powder; cornflakes and coco balls for children.

Our correspondent learnt that consumers of these products are often unaware of their ingredients, which poses serious health risks, especially for under-five children.

Findings revealed that many households are now less concerned with NAFDAC registration numbers and expiration dates, but continue to patronise unregistered products due to their affordability.

Experts have also warned against the proliferation and indiscriminate consumption of these products, cautioning that they are potential dangers to humans.

Despite these warnings, PUNCH Healthwise observed that unregistered products are still widely available in various Lagos markets as well as on numerous online platforms.

Consumers unconcerned with NRN

Continuing, Udom, who also sells powdered fufu and cocoyam at Oyingbo Bus stop, said, “Our customers know that our products are genuine and that is why they patronise us.

“Also, many of them confirmed that our products are even better than some branded ones, yet the branded products are more expensive.

“The consumers are looking for cheaper products that would give them equal or better satisfaction than those of well-known brands.

“I tell you that most people who buy pap, fufu, or cocoyam flour from me don’t look at the products twice, especially the cocoyam.

“Their concern is whether it can thicken their soup and not NAFDAC number or fake. The situation in the country does not allow anybody to spend money unnecessarily.

“A bucket of cocoyam is now N3,200, then compare it with the ones we sell for N100,” he said.

Udom, who voiced his frustration with the prevailing economic hardships, noted that many of his customers no longer prioritise NAFDAC registration numbers or expiration dates on products.

He noted that those struggling to feed themselves are not checking expiration dates or NAFDAC numbers; they take whatever is available.

“Only those who can afford high-quality meals are those concerned about such details you are looking for. The hardship is overwhelming Nigerians, leaving little or no room for such considerations.

“So, be assured that my products are not fake; I will register them when I have the money,” he added.

Infant suffered food poisoning

After her six-month-old son consumed an unregistered sachet of custard, 32-year-old, Aaka Igwemba, felt as though the entire world had come crashing down.

Within a few hours of ingesting the custard, her son’s condition deteriorated, leading to a feeling of nausea and vomiting which was accompanied by fever.

The first-time mother, who is married to a Balogun trader, Kingsley, feared for her baby’s life but with timely intervention, her baby was stabilised, following a medication administered by a nearby pharmacist.

Igwemba was later told that her son had suffered from food poisoning; perhaps, due to contamination from the product, as a result of unhygienic handling that characterised unregulated products.

Since that harrowing experience, the Anambra-born undergraduate avoided all unregistered products and custard brands, whether sachet or tin, throughout her child’s early years.

Learning from her experience, it dawned on her, why NAFDAC kicked against buying or consuming unregistered and unwholesome products.

She now advises mothers against feeding their children, especially infants with products whose sources are unknown.

Igwemba currently pays careful attention to product details and NAFDAC registration numbers before purchasing any product for human consumption.

‘My children suffered diarrhoea’

In a similar development at the Trade Fair Complex, a mother of three, Blessing Okafor, vowed never to buy unregistered food for her children after they suffered diarrhoea and dehydration stemming from the consumption of unregistered food.

Okafor, who lives at Abule-Osun, Lagos, told our correspondent that her neighbour, Folashade Ogunbiyi, introduced her to a trader, where she usually bought affordable children’s food and beverages when she (Okafor) complained bitterly about the rising costs of food.

According to her, she had initially been wary of these unregistered, locally processed products due to things she heard about them, but was drawn in by their lower prices compared to commercial baby food.

She recounts, “My next-door neighbour introduced me to Iya Jumai, who sells repackaged milk, cornflakes, oats, and chocolate at attractive prices. I tried a small quantity of milk and cornflakes to see if they were suitable for my children.

“Initially, everything seemed fine, so I continued purchasing them. However, after a recent shopping trip where I bought the same types of food, I noticed that one of my children, Jane (two years) who was fed by my mother-in-law on that day, started having a stomach upset a few hours later.

“At first, I didn’t suspect anything, but when both children (Jane and Sofia) began vomiting and stooling, I realised there was a problem. I quickly took them to a pharmacy in my neighbourhood where it was confirmed to be diarrhoea due to infection.

“Jane was particularly affected more, suffering from abdominal pain, and dehydration, while Sofia (four) was mildly affected. They were both unable to eat for several hours and looked very ill. After the medications were at the pharmacy, I was asked to make an ORS solution for them to keep them rehydrated.

“Following this incident, I cancelled the idea of buying those products again, regardless of their cost. I realised that these foods didn’t go well. The money I was trying to save, I spent at the pharmacy.

“I spent more on the drugs than I spent buying the food. When my neighbour introduced me to the food, she said, it might be that my children’s systems have not fully accepted the food. I told her I wasn’t going to try it again.”

Potential organ damage

A consultant paediatric Endocrinologist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Dr Oluwakemi Ashubu, cautioned that consuming fake or poorly formulated products with unknown ingredients could lead to severe infections and potential organ damage in adults and children.

Ashubu advised the public to purchase only familiar products, especially for their children and emphasised the importance of checking for ingredients, expiry dates, and usage instructions to ensure safety.

She explained that children and pregnant women are more vulnerable to this because of the fragility of their health.

Ashubu said, “Poorly constituted formulas—whether due to insufficient or excessive water mixed with milk—can cause digestive issues such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration.

She noted that dehydration in children can lead to death and that is why an oral rehydration solution is needed when they have diarrhoea.

“Dehydration, salt, and electrolyte imbalances can lead to kidney problems and other serious conditions. Additionally, inadequate hygiene during food manufacturing and preparation can result in food poisoning.

“Infections and food poisoning are significant risks, so prevention is crucial. It is safer for people to purchase products they are familiar with.”

With poor labelling, she feared that some people with chronic illnesses may be in trouble if they ate what they shouldn’t because of poor labelling or the total absence of ingredients and usage instructions.

Traders shun health implications

At Iyanoba Market, where bean flour, koko balls, and corn flakes were purchased from Adidas Shopping Plaza, Shop 3, the seller, Zika Ejim, who also was aware that selling unregistered products was illegal, told PUNCH Healthwise that she lacked the funds to register her products.

While she sells beans powder, which was produced by Madam Aloevera Foods, her Koko Balls and Cornflakes were branded ‘Infinity Cereals’ but do not have any forwarding address or expiry date as required by the NAFDAC labelling ACT.

However, a Google check of whether Infinity products were registered, showed the link to a site, which upon clicking has been suspended, which states, “Yes, all our products have NAFDAC approval.”

When the NRN, B1-3511, was checked for verification on NAFDAC’s platform, it stated, “Product not found.”

Continuing, Ejim explained that she would consider registering her products once she had made enough money. She said that starting with registration might jeopardise her business due to the lack of profit.

She added, “Registering won’t change the content of my products. If I register it now, I might end up not being able to continue the business due to the low-profit margin and extra cost I have to incur. In Nigeria there is no support for small businesses instead they will use tax to kill the business.

“Customers buy my products because they trust me; I have been here for over six years. Many families are seeking cheap and alternative ways to remain alive. So, any products that do not cause them much, is what they go for.”

PUNCH Healthwise observed that many customers were purchasing her products despite the absence of registration numbers and expiration dates. While some are scared of the products others are embracing them.

More product consumers

A customer, who patronises bean powder for Akraand moi moi for convenience, is Tosin Ibrahim.

Ibrahim, the hairstylist, buys 500g of bean powder for N2500 for her breakfast akara and moi moi. She also buys sealed koko balls (N2,300) and cornflakes (N2,450).

She said, “Hardship in the country has made everybody let down the guards on what is fake and substandard. This is why you will find people buying things they shouldn’t.

“I have been using these products and they have not done me any harm. They are not cheap either. My children eat the koko balls and cornflakes and there are no issues.

“Go to where they sell meat and see what people buy. Mothers buy bones and fats just to have the meat stock in their meals, while others buy chicken intestines that were rejected by other customers. They need those nutrients in them.

“However, some of these things we are talking about are just the dried and processed food that we use at home to save cost. People want to eat and not starve.

“We have gotten to the point in this country that nobody even wants to check any information on these products before buying them. Even the expired ones, they don’t throw them away.

“You can see yam flour, cassava flour, and corn, these things are processed from seed to powder.

“The only difference is that they have been processed to make it handy and everybody will have less stress soaking beans in water all the time you want to cook moi moi.”

Hardship blamed for an infraction

According to a BBC report of February 2024, Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, leading to widespread hardship and anger.

The report highlighted the difficulties that many Nigerians face as wages have not kept up with the rising cost of living.

It noted that like many nations, Nigeria has experienced economic shocks from beyond its shores in recent years, but the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu when he took office last May 29, 2023, had worsened the situation.

However, the situation was worsened by the removal of fuel subsidies leading to fuel stations selling fuel between N750 and N1200 per litre. Naira devaluation was next aggravating the situation of the country.

Sequel to this, many Nigerians now rationalise their spending even as the cost of a healthy diet has gone up by 45 per cent in the last six months, putting more pressure on different households, according to the ‘Cost of Healthy Diet,’ report produced by the National Bureau of Statistics and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

Apongbon Market

At Apongbon, Kehinde Morufat sells an unregistered basmati rice branded as Rice +++, intended for diabetic patients, with a glycemic index between 50 and 58. The packets of rice were displayed on Offin Road but lacked a NAFDAC number.

When asked about the absence of the NRN, Morufat explained that the rice was not manufactured in Nigeria.

She assured our correspondent of the safety of the product, insisting that it doesn’t pose any danger for the diabetics.

“This is where we are,” she said. “If you have any issues, you can come and complain; if not, feel free to buy more.”

In the same space, Chinedu Uzoh, a wholesaler dealing in sachet oats (Garden Mills 454g), offers a carton of unregistered oats for N28,000 each.

He sells at the Felbun Plaza, 31 Offin Street, and also in Apongbon, Lagos Island.

When asked why he sold an unregistered product, he said, “It’s a foreign product and those who know about the product, are the ones looking for them.”

At Oke-Arin Market, Ebute-Ero

At Ebute-ero Market, PUNCH Healthwise spotted a middle-aged woman, Bukola Ajayi, selling processed Soya bean powder under the brand, Gladsome Soya Bean Powder Milk (N2000).

The product was sealed in a container without a registration number, batch number, or product expiration date.

Her shop is situated at Junior House opposite Samantha House where Onitsha vehicles are boarded.

The manufacturer’s address and details include Gladsome Honour Enterprises, No 34, Adams Street, Off Omididun Street, Lagos Island.

Ajayi is not the manufacturer of the product; she buys from wholesalers and sells in her makeshift kiosk.

“You are the first person asking about the NAFDAC number on soya beans,” she replied when our correspondent inquired about the authenticity of the product, confirming the fact that many consumers no longer care about what they consume as long as it is affordable.

She explained that the soya bean powder can be mixed in one’s stew or rice, pap, or custard and can be used as tea.

“It’s rich in protein and Vitamins,” she told our correspondent as she tried to convince him to buy one.

Dangers of adulterated products

On the dangers of fake and adulterated products, a professor of Community Medicine and Public Health at the Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Ulu Ogbonnanya, expressed concerns about the growing number of platforms for purchasing products.

Ogbonnaya highlighted the risk of buying unregistered and unreliable products, which can pose serious health hazards.

He pointed out that dealers of such products often prioritise profit over consumer safety, driven by the lucrative nature of the illegal trade.

Ogbonnaya explained that these products frequently contain undeclared ingredients intended to enhance their effects and attract repeat customers can harm pregnant women and fetuses and warned consumers to be cautious as no one knows the compositions of those unregulated products.

He said, “However, some of them may contain certain additives that may be unsafe, banned, or inadequately evaluated for human use.

“These products might also contain medicinal ingredients that can be harmful if used without medical supervision. Rather than addressing medical conditions, these products may exacerbate the issues, leading to serious adverse effects, and in some cases, even resulting in death.

“Moreover, products from such sources are often produced under poor and unhygienic conditions, further increasing the risk to consumers.”

He noted that due to the lack of quality control, these products often contain varying or incorrect amounts of ingredients, which can lead to serious overdosing or poisoning.

Ogbonnaya called for the urgent need for the NAFDAC to cover up these gaps that have become a source of potential public health concern.

Packaged foods must be registered – NAFDAC

Reacting, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintayo, said that it was standard procedure for every sealed or processed food to go through NAFDAC verification.

He noted that those engaged in food processing and packaging without a verifiable NRN violated the law, and would be prosecuted if caught.

Akintayo said, “Edible or packaged food in Nigeria has to go through NAFDAC’s registration processes. We do this to ensure the safety of what you want to produce and give people to eat.

 “So, it is illegal, and if you see anybody that indulges in such, just let us know, where they are and where to find them. I said this because we also appeal to the masses to furnish us with vital information on these practices in the country.

 “Once we have such information, we will send it to our intelligence unit, and they will carry out their investigation and apprehend whoever is doing that. You cannot produce any packaged food or food item in Nigeria without NAFDAC.”

He further noted that the agency regularly conducted periodic raids in open markets and supermarkets and confiscated unregistered products.

LASCOPA to investigate unregistered products

The General Manager, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, Afolabi Solebo, said that all food products must be registered with NAFDAC.

He, however, said, “We need to know and investigate where they are coming from.
“In Lagos State, even if we don’t have the jurisdiction over the matter, we can join forces with other bodies to investigate and ensure that all food products must be registered.”