West African Nations Unite to Combat Micronutrient Deficiencies

West African Nations Unite to Combat Micronutrient Deficiencies

West African countries have formed the “Fortification Alliance” to combat micronutrient deficiencies among children, infants, and expectant mothers in the region.

Mr. Fred Chiazor, Chairman of the National Fortification Alliance (NFA), announced this initiative during the Regional Fortification Alliance Workshop on Tuesday in Abuja.

The reports gathered that representatives from the National Alliance for Food Fortification in ECOWAS countries attended the workshop, along with technical and financial partners such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Chiazor emphasized the need for regional alliances to ensure that processed, produced, and consumed foods are fortified with essential nutrients.

He noted that about 15 countries are working to establish a regional fortification alliance.

“The first meeting took place in Cotonou, Benin Republic, to explore the formation of a regional alliance,” Chiazor said. “We are now convening to discuss how to form this alliance, with the primary aim of addressing micronutrient deficiencies in these countries.”

He highlighted the need to address these deficiencies in children, infants, and expectant mothers through collaboration and sharing experiences among countries.

Chiazor outlined the use of specific “vehicles” to combat micronutrient deficiencies, citing Nigeria’s use of wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, and salt as examples.

“In the past, we had a 20 percent tariff on vitamin premixes, which producers passed on to consumers. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generously reduced this tariff to five percent, making it more affordable,” he explained.

Chiazor noted significant progress in Nigeria’s fight against micronutrient deficiencies, thanks to the collective efforts of stakeholders involved in fortification initiatives. He mentioned that mandatory fortification of selected food vehicles—wheat flour, maize flour, sugar, and vegetable oil—began in 2002 to control these deficiencies in Nigeria.

“The NFA was established in 2004 under the then National Planning Commission (now Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning) to mobilize relevant stakeholders for effective implementation of food fortification programs in Nigeria,” Chiazor said.

He highlighted NFA’s achievements, including a robust regulatory framework, successful advocacy for tariff reductions, and data-driven approaches.

Mr. Brent Wibberley, Project Director for the USAID Advancing Food Fortification Opportunities to Reinforce Diets (AFFORD) program, praised Nigeria’s food fortification efforts and stressed the importance of maintaining compliance with fortification standards, especially among small businesses.

“Nigeria has made significant progress in food fortification, serving as a good example in West Africa,” Wibberley said. “However, challenges remain in maintaining compliance with standards, particularly among smaller businesses.”

Mr. Kumar Saurabh, Regional Manager at the Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), emphasized the need for affordable fortified foods to address micronutrient deficiencies.

“People need to eat certain types of food groups daily, but affordability is a concern. Not everyone can afford expensive foods, fruits, and vegetables,” Saurabh said. “To address this issue, we have developed food fortification strategies that link high-prevalence areas with solutions to combat hidden hunger.”