The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reassured parents and caregivers across the country that all Nestlé infant formula products approved for sale in Nigeria are safe for consumption and do not pose any health risk to infants.
The assurance followed concerns raised by a recent voluntary recall announced by Nestlé UK involving specific batches of SMA Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula distributed in more than 50 countries.
NAFDAC clarified that the recalled products are not available in Nigeria and were never authorised for distribution within the country.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by the agency’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC explained that the recall carried out by Nestlé UK was precautionary and related to the possible presence of cereulide, a heat-resistant toxin produced by certain strains of Bacillus cereus.
Exposure to the toxin, the agency noted, may cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
NAFDAC stressed that the affected batches were limited to the United Kingdom and other foreign markets and were not registered with the agency.
As such, they are not part of Nigeria’s regulated food supply chain.
The agency also confirmed that the SMA infant formula products available in Nigeria were manufactured at Nestlé’s Tuas Factory in Singapore and have undergone full regulatory scrutiny before approval.
These include SMA GOLD 1, SMA GOLD 2, and SMA GOLD 3, all of which are duly registered with NAFDAC and authorised for sale nationwide.
According to the agency, both the SMA and NAN infant nutrition ranges produced specifically for the Nigerian market are completely separate from the recalled batches and remain safe for use.
NAFDAC said the clarification was issued in the interest of public health and as part of its responsibility to keep Nigerians informed about global food safety developments.
It added that the agency remained alert to the risks of unauthorised imports, online purchases, and personal carriage of unregistered food and drug products into the country.
The regulatory body reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health through strict product registration processes, continuous market surveillance, and post-market monitoring of infant nutrition products, which are considered highly sensitive due to the vulnerability of their consumers.
While reassuring the public, NAFDAC advised Nigerians to rely only on verified information from the agency and to avoid panic.
It urged consumers to immediately discard any recalled products should they encounter them and to report suspected sales of unregistered infant formula to the nearest NAFDAC office or through its official toll-free line.
The agency also encouraged healthcare professionals and members of the public to report any adverse reactions linked to infant nutrition products using its established electronic reporting platforms.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the health of Nigerians, particularly infants and other vulnerable groups, and assured the public that it would continue to take proactive steps to ensure food and drug safety across the country.
