Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health and food sector have raised concerns over the decision by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend the Heart Mark logo on certified food products.

The development comes as the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) launched a nationwide campaign to tackle the rising burden of cardiovascular diseases through improved nutrition awareness.

The concerns were expressed during a press conference organised by the NHF to kick off a month-long Heart Mark Logo Awareness Programme. Stakeholders called for greater regulatory clarity, stronger collaboration, and sustained public education to ensure consumers are not misled and can continue to make informed, heart-healthy food choices.

The affected products, including 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.

They noted that the NAFDAC’s directive, which began in 2024, required manufacturers to remove the logo from the eight products, raising concerns about regulatory alignment and the future of the initiative.

Speaking at the launch, NHF Executive Director, Kingsley Akinroye, said the campaign aims to deepen public understanding of cardiovascular diseases and promote preventive health measures through improved nutrition.

He noted that cardiovascular diseases are on the rise in Nigeria, with unhealthy diets identified as a major driver, adding that the Heart Mark logo serves as a simple, science-based guide to help consumers identify healthier food options.

Akinroye explained that the Heart Mark Food Labelling Programme, established in 2003 in partnership with NAFDAC, evaluates products based on defined nutritional criteria such as cholesterol, saturated and trans fats, sodium, sugar, fibre, and potassium before endorsement is granted.

He added that only products already registered with NAFDAC are eligible for further evaluation, making the certification an additional layer of consumer protection.

Also speaking, 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, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate, Abdulrazak Jada, the agency said 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 required when they carry claims suggesting benefits to heart health. He noted that such claims must meet stricter parameters, including limits on saturated fats and cholesterol, in line with national and international standards.

According to him, the suspension is temporary and intended to enable a more rigorous verification process to ensure that products bearing the logo truly meet required health standards, thereby preventing misleading claims and strengthening consumer confidence.

Meanwhile, the NHF said its awareness programme would include 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 look out for the symbol when making food choices and calling on manufacturers to participate in the programme.

He emphasised 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.

Also, a representative of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Amaka Okwesilieze, stressed the need for stronger public awareness on nutrition and food labelling. She noted that many consumers remain unaware of the significance of certification marks such as the Heart Mark logo, stressing that improved understanding of nutritional information is essential for informed food choices.

Okwesilieze added that enhanced consumer education would play a critical role in addressing the growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other diet-related conditions, and called on the media and other stakeholders to intensify public sensitisation efforts.