THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured Nigerians that all Nestlé infant formula products approved for sale in the country are safe for consumption.
The agency clarified that the products available in Nigeria are not affected by the recent voluntary recall announced by Nestlé UK, which involved certain batches of SMA Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula distributed across more than 50 countries.
In a statement issued today and signed by NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency explained that the recalled items were specific UK batches withdrawn as a precaution due to the possible presence of cereulide — a heat-resistant toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus that can cause nausea and vomiting.
NAFDAC stressed that the affected products were neither registered nor authorised for distribution in Nigeria.
According to the agency, the SMA products sold in Nigeria are manufactured at Nestlé’s Tuas Factory in Singapore and are fully registered with NAFDAC. These include SMA GOLD 1 (NAFDAC Reg. No. B1-2783), SMA GOLD 2 (NAFDAC Reg. No. B1-2780), and SMA GOLD 3 (NAFDAC Reg. No. B1-2781).
NAFDAC further confirmed that both the SMA and NAN product ranges produced for the Nigerian market are not part of the recalled batches.
The agency said the public notice was issued in the interest of public health and as part of its responsibility to keep Nigerians informed about global food safety issues, while remaining vigilant against unauthorised imports, online purchases, and personal carriage of unregistered products.
The regulator reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public health, noting that it continues to enforce strict oversight through product registration, routine surveillance, and post-market monitoring of infant nutrition products, particularly those meant for infants and other vulnerable groups.
NAFDAC advised members of the public to rely only on verified information from the agency, dispose of any recalled products if encountered, and report suspected sales to the nearest NAFDAC office or via its helpline on 0800-162-3322.
It also encouraged consumers to report any adverse events through its official e-reporting platforms.