NAFDAC Grants 18-Month Grace for Food Firms to Eliminate Trans Fats

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced an 18-month grace period for food companies to fully comply with its regulations on eliminating industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA). This means full enforcement will begin in early 2026.

The initiative, introduced as a comprehensive strategy and roadmap, sets a global standard by limiting industrially produced trans fats to no more than two grams per 100 grams of total fat or oil.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, explained in a keynote speech shared on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday that the move takes Nigeria from policy-making to firm enforcement.

“This is not just a technical achievement, but a moral imperative. Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent,” Adeyeye stressed, urging national collaboration.

The grace period allows manufacturers to exhaust old stock and reformulate their products to meet the legal standard. The regulation targets trans fats, which are strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature death worldwide.

In 2023, the World Health Organisation recognised Nigeria for adopting best-practice policies on TFA elimination. This new roadmap is expected to secure WHO validation of Nigeria’s full elimination programme and strengthen the nation’s role as a regional leader in public health.