By Nkechi Eze
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) recently played host to a high-powered delegation from Ethiopia at its Ogba Laboratory Complex in Lagos, in a strategic exchange visit aimed at strengthening food fortification initiatives and boosting public health across the African continent.
The visit, which featured extensive knowledge-sharing sessions and a tour of SON’s cutting-edge laboratory facilities, was designed to foster regional cooperation in the critical area of nutrition improvement through fortified food systems.
Speaking during the event on behalf of the Director General/Chief Executive of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, the Deputy Director, Codex, Nutrition and Tobacco, Mr. Y.B. Mohammed, emphasized the transformative role of partnerships in addressing malnutrition and enhancing population health. “Collaboration is the bedrock of effective food fortification. We are proud to share our experiences and learn from our Ethiopian counterparts, as we all work towards a healthier Africa,” he said.
Nigeria’s journey in food fortification dates back to the early 1990s, beginning with the iodization of salt. Over the years, the country has made considerable progress by mandating the fortification of key staples such as sugar, wheat flour, and vegetable oil with essential micronutrients including vitamin A, iron, and zinc. This has significantly contributed to combating hidden hunger and improving overall national health indices.
As the nation’s principal standards body, SON plays a central role in ensuring the success of food fortification through the development of robust standards, rigorous laboratory testing, inspection regimes, product certification, and public education. It also leads stakeholder capacity building to guarantee adherence to global best practices.
During the visit, the Ethiopian delegation was taken on a guided tour of SON’s sophisticated laboratory units, including the micronutrients laboratory which houses the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) machine used for testing vitamin A levels in fortified products. They also visited the organization’s heavy metal and mycotoxin labs, where advanced quality control and assurance tests are carried out.
The engagement provided an opportunity for both countries to reflect on shared challenges and successes while exploring avenues for future collaboration in nutrition policy, regulatory frameworks, and technological advancement.
Expressing appreciation at the end of the tour, members of the Ethiopian delegation commended SON’s commitment to quality assurance and innovation in nutrition. They noted the importance of building continental alliances to tackle the scourge of malnutrition and pledged to continue working closely with Nigerian institutions to achieve shared public health goals.
The event underscored SON’s leadership role not only in national food fortification programmes but also in positioning Nigeria as a hub for nutrition science and quality standards across the region.
