NAFDAC Suspends Heart Mark Logo Amid Intensified Campaign Against Cardiovascular Diseases
Stakeholders in Nigeria's health and food sectors have voiced significant concerns following the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control's (NAFDAC) decision to suspend the Heart Mark logo on certified food products. This development coincides with the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) launching a comprehensive nationwide campaign aimed at combating the escalating burden of cardiovascular diseases through enhanced nutrition awareness.
Stakeholders Call for Regulatory Clarity and Public Education
The concerns were prominently expressed during a press conference organized by the NHF to inaugurate a month-long Heart Mark Logo Awareness Programme. Participants emphasized the urgent need for greater regulatory clarity, stronger collaboration between agencies, and sustained public education initiatives. These measures are deemed essential to ensure consumers are not misled and can continue to make informed, heart-healthy food choices confidently.
The affected products, which include Laziz Oil, Active Oil, Power Oil, Mamador Oil, Gossy Water, Three Crown Milk, Grand Oil, and Sunola Oil, were previously endorsed under the NHF Heart Mark Food Labelling Programme. Stakeholders noted that NAFDAC's directive, initiated in 2024, required manufacturers to remove the logo from these eight products. This move has raised pressing questions about regulatory alignment and the future viability of the heart health initiative.
NHF Executive Director Highlights Rising CVD Rates
Speaking at the campaign launch, NHF Executive Director Kingsley Akinroye underscored the campaign's primary objective: to deepen public understanding of cardiovascular diseases and promote preventive health measures through improved nutrition. He highlighted that cardiovascular diseases are experiencing a concerning rise in Nigeria, with unhealthy diets identified as a major contributing factor. Akinroye emphasized that the Heart Mark logo serves as a simple, science-based guide to assist consumers in identifying healthier food options effectively.
Akinroye elaborated that the Heart Mark Food Labelling Programme, established in 2003 in partnership with NAFDAC, rigorously evaluates products based on defined nutritional criteria. These criteria include cholesterol levels, saturated and trans fats, sodium, sugar, fibre, and potassium content before endorsement is granted. He added that only products already registered with NAFDAC are eligible for further evaluation, making the certification an additional, crucial layer of consumer protection.
NAFDAC Justifies Suspension for Scientific Evaluation
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the collaboration with NHF as a strategic effort to reduce non-communicable diseases through improved regulation and consumer education. Represented by Deputy Director Abdulrazak Jada of the Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate, the agency clarified that the suspension of the Heart Mark logo was necessary to allow for further scientific evaluation of products making heart-health claims.
Jada explained that while products may meet basic registration requirements, additional scrutiny is imperative when they carry claims suggesting benefits to heart health. He noted that such claims must adhere to stricter parameters, including stringent limits on saturated fats and cholesterol, in alignment with both national and international standards. According to him, the suspension is temporary and intended to enable a more rigorous verification process. This process aims to ensure that products bearing the logo genuinely meet required health standards, thereby preventing misleading claims and strengthening overall consumer confidence.
NHF Plans Extensive Awareness Programme
Meanwhile, the NHF announced that its awareness programme will encompass a national summit, advocacy visits to government institutions, engagement with the National Assembly, and market sensitisation campaigns in Lagos and Abuja. NHF President Osaretin Odia described the Heart Mark logo as a critical public health tool, urging consumers to actively look out for the symbol when making food choices. He also called on manufacturers to participate proactively in the programme.
Odia emphasized that the logo is not merely a symbol but a preventive intervention aimed at reducing the burden of cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria. He stressed that collective efforts are vital to achieving significant public health improvements.
Nutrition Society Advocates for Enhanced Consumer Education
Additionally, a representative of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Amaka Okwesilieze, stressed the necessity for stronger public awareness regarding nutrition and food labelling. She noted that many consumers remain unaware of the significance of certification marks such as the Heart Mark logo, highlighting that improved understanding of nutritional information is essential for informed food choices.
Okwesilieze added that enhanced consumer education will play a critical role in addressing the growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other diet-related conditions. She called on the media and other stakeholders to intensify public sensitisation efforts to foster a healthier, more informed populace.
