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NAFDAC launches 'Read the Food Label' campaign to tackle diet-related diseases. June 26, 2026 By Robert Egbe The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a nationwide "Read the Food Label" campaign aimed at encouraging Nigerians to understand the nutritional information on packaged foods before purchasing, as part of efforts to curb Nigeria's growing burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The campaign, unveiled in Abuja on Friday, is being implemented with the cooperation of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the University of Abuja, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), the Nutrition Society of Nigeria and other development partners. Speaking at the launch, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described food labels as powerful public health tools that provide consumers with vital information about the safety and nutritional quality of the foods they consume. She said the campaign seeks to institutionalise a culture of reading food labels to help Nigerians make healthier dietary choices and reduce the risk of diseases linked to poor nutrition. "Reading food labels should become a shared responsibility," Adeyeye said. "Everyone who purchases food from supermarkets or markets should make it a habit to read food labels before making a purchase." Recalling a personal experience, the NAFDAC boss said she developed the habit of reading food labels after her son reacted to a food additive while they lived in the United States. "Whenever I go shopping, I immediately check the food label. I look at the sugar content, the sodium level and other nutritional information because food labels communicate essential health, safety and nutritional information that enables consumers to purchase, prepare, store and consume food safely," she said. According to her, the campaign comes at a critical time as Nigeria grapples with a rising burden of non-communicable diseases fuelled by unhealthy diets and the increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods. Citing WHO statistics, Adeyeye said non-communicable diseases account for about 29 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for 11 per cent, cancers four per cent, chronic respiratory diseases two per cent and diabetes one per cent. She noted that many of these illnesses are associated with excessive consumption of salt, sugar, saturated fats, trans fats and highly processed foods. "In today's increasingly complex food environment, consumers are confronted with an overwhelming number of food choices. The ability to understand and apply information on food labels has therefore never been more important," she said. She added that the campaign forms part of NAFDAC's broader efforts to improve nutrition literacy, promote healthier living and sustain behavioural change among Nigerians. The WHO endorsed the initiative. Represented by Technical Officer for Nutrition, Dr Pinda Wakama, WHO Country Representative Dr Pavel Ursu said Nigeria's growing burden of non-communicable diseases underscored the need for nationwide interventions that empower people to make healthier food choices. He described the "Read the Food Label" campaign as both timely and strategic, saying it would improve nutrition literacy and help consumers better understand the nutritional information provided on packaged foods. Similarly, the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, welcomed the initiative, saying it was a timely intervention that would empower consumers to make informed food choices. Represented by CAPPA's Associate Director and Healthy Food Policy Manager, Abayomi Sarumi, Oluwafemi said aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods and beverages had made consumer awareness increasingly important. "Nigerian consumers are increasingly exposed to aggressively and deceptively marketed ultra-processed food and beverage products, the consumption of which is worsening Nigeria's non-communicable diseases burden," he said. "Reading food labels helps consumers identify products that contain high levels of sugar, salt, trans fats and other nutrients of concern that increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, stroke and heart disease." He reaffirmed CAPPA's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote healthier food environments. Also speaking, Dr Emmanuel Sokpo, Country Director of the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), stated that the campaign would help foster a culture of informed decision-making and promote healthier eating habits. He described it as "a critical step towards creating a food environment where people are empowered with the information they need to make healthier choices, contributing to stronger food systems and improved health outcomes for all Nigerians." The Executive Director of Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) Nigeria, Mrs Nanlop Ogbureke, stated that the initiative would enhance consumer protection by enabling Nigerians to understand the nutritional content of packaged foods. She noted that although food labels contain valuable health information, many consumers still struggle to interpret them because of technical language, small print and complex nutritional information. "As Nigeria continues to grapple with rising diet-related diseases, consumer awareness has become more important than ever," she said. The Lead Investigator on Cardiovascular Health at the University of Abuja, Prof. Dike Ojji, said unhealthy diets have become a major driver of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses in Nigeria. He noted that the university's research had contributed significantly to the development of national 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 pledged the institution's continued support for efforts aimed at improving nutrition awareness and healthier food choices. Similarly, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Salisu Maiwada, said nutrition professionals across the country would take the campaign to 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," he said. Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that the campaign would encourage Nigerians to pay greater attention to food labels, improve dietary habits and contribute to reducing the country's growing burden of diet-related illnesses. Post Views: 106

Nigeria leads the way on Emergency-Ready Primary Health Care. * June 15, 2026 Nigeria is the first country to use the Emergency-Ready Primary Health Care (ERPHC) Framework, developed by Resolve to Save Lives and WHO, to build a large-scale, country-specific preparedness plan. Resolve to Save Lives recently partnered with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the World Bank, the African Field Epidemiology Network, state governments and others to hold a national workshop on putting the Framework into practice. The ERPHC Framework gives countries a practical roadmap to strengthen primary healthcare systems so they can prevent, detect and respond to health threats while maintaining essential services. This milestone builds on years of RTSL and partners piloting Epidemic-Ready Primary Health Care across Nigeria. Nigeria's leadership now offers a model other countries can adapt, showing that preparing health systems for emergencies and delivering everyday care are not competing goals but complementary ones. "For the first time, a country has moved beyond piloting the ERPHC Framework and committed to scaling it through national implementation," said Dr. Stacey Mearns, Director of Primary Health Care at Resolve to Save Lives. "Nigeria's leadership sets a new standard for how countries can strengthen preparedness while protecting both health workers and communities."

Resolve to Save Lives appoints Amanda McClelland Chief Program Officer. * June 1, 2026 JUNE 1, 2026 - Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) announced today that Amanda McClelland is the organization's first Chief Program Officer (CPO). The new role reflects Resolve to Save Lives' evolution over the past decade and will strengthen coordination, sustainability, and impact. Prior to assuming this role, McClelland was Senior Vice President of Prevent Epidemics and Primary Health Care at RTSL. As Resolve to Save Lives approaches its 10-year anniversary, the organization is entering a new phase, with programs in collaboration with Ministries of Health and other partners in more than 60 countries. The Chief Program Officer will increase health impact by sharing lessons and aligning approaches and partnerships across programs. "Amanda reads complex situations quickly and analyzes and explains them with remarkable clarity," said Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. "She learns from and with people on the front line and shares those lessons to accelerate progress. This new role will enable her to apply these skills more widely across RTSL and with partner organizations and countries around the world." McClelland is a global health leader with more than two decades of experience responding to public health emergencies, both on the frontlines and by strengthening the systems that support safety and health impact. Her experience spans food insecurity emergencies in the Sahel, natural disasters in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and global outbreaks including yellow fever, cholera, Ebola and COVID-19. Her work at Resolve to Save Lives has focused on bridging evidence, policy and implementation so that the elements needed for success are in place, including staffing, management, communication and analysis. "I'm honored to step into this role at such an important moment for Resolve to Save Lives," said McClelland. "Over the past 10 years, RTSL has worked with partners to co-create and scale up solutions that are saving millions of lives. This new role is an opportunity to strengthen how we work across the organization so we can deliver impact at greater scale, partner more effectively, increase support to our teams, and meet the increasingly complex global health challenges ahead." McClelland has published peer-reviewed research papers, policy analyses, and commentaries. She is the author of Emergencies Only, a memoir reflecting on leadership, uncertainty and decision-making at the frontlines of global crises. Her work during the 2014 Ebola epidemic earned her the Florence Nightingale Medal for exceptional courage. McClelland began her career as a nurse before moving into public and emergency health leadership. She holds a Master of Business Administration in International Health Management and a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Media contact. About Resolve to Save Lives. Resolve to Save Lives is a global health organization that partners locally and globally to create and scale solutions to the world's deadliest health threats. Since 2017, Resolve to Save Lives Inc. has worked with governments and other partners in more than 60 countries and supported programs that will prevent more than 9 million heart attack deaths. To find out more, visit: resolvetosavelives.org or LinkedIn.