will result to 10 per cent to 17 per cent loss of wages. When multiplied across the nation, it is estimated that Nigeria loses more than $1.5 billion in GDP annually as a result of diminished productivity and increased health care costs, they added.
The federal government and players in the food industry, have identified food fortification, in which essential micronutrients are added during food processing, as a cost effective strategy for addressing micronutrient malnutrition at a scale, making it a vital tool for ensuring better health for Nigerians and contributing to country’s economic development.Launched in 2002, there had been an over all progress of the National Food Fortification Program, despite setbacks over the past year.
The data revealed that compliance levels for salt fortified with iodine was sustained at more than 90 per cent; compliance levels for edible oil fortified with vitamin A increased from 25 per cent in 2018 to 33 per cent in 2020 and further improved to 49 per cent by the end of 2021; compliance levels for wheat flour fortified with vitamin A, vitamin B3 and iron increased from 56 per cent in 2018 to 74 per cent in 2021.
In his response, chairman, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote, said, the private sector remains the engine of growth for the Nigerian economy, adding that, “by creating a common set of compliance standards, while also giving companies the tools they need to effectively fortify their foods, we are creating a sustainable path to delivering Nigerians food that will help them live healthier, more productive lives.