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 and unaffected by the recent voluntary recall announced by Nestlé UK.
In a statement signed by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye , NAFDAC clarified that the recall involves specific batches of SMA Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula distributed in more than 50 countries and does not include products authorised for the Nigerian market.
The agency explained that the recalled UK batches were withdrawn as a precautionary measure due to the potential presence of cereulide, a heat-resistant toxin produced by certain strains of Bacillus cereus, which may cause nausea and vomiting. NAFDAC stressed that the affected products were neither registered nor approved for distribution in Nigeria.
According to the agency, the SMA range available in Nigeria is manufactured at Nestlé’s Tuas Factory in Singapore and is duly registered with NAFDAC. These include SMA GOLD 1 (NAFDAC Reg. No. 81-2783), SMA GOLD 2 (NAFDAC Reg. No. 81-2780), and SMA GOLD 3 (NAFDAC Reg. No. 81-2781). The regulator further confirmed that both the SMA and NAN product ranges produced for the Nigerian market are not part of the recalled batches.
NAFDAC said the public advisory was issued in the interest of public health and in line with its mandate to keep Nigerians informed of global food safety developments. The agency also reiterated its vigilance against the unauthorised importation, online purchase, or personal carriage of unregistered food products into the country.
The agency added that it continues to maintain strict regulatory oversight through product registration, routine surveillance, and post-market monitoring of infant nutrition products.
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding public health, particularly that of infants and other vulnerable groups, NAFDAC urged members of the public to rely only on verified information from the agency. It advised consumers to discard any recalled products if encountered and to report suspected sales to the nearest NAFDAC office or via its toll-free line, 0800-162-3322. Adverse events, the agency said, should also be reported through its e-reporting platforms.
