A claim by Nigeria’s food and drug regulator about the absence of Nestlé’s top children formula with elevated sugar levels in the Nigerian market is false, available evidence show.
Last month, the National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said Nido milk, flagged by the Swiss-based investigative organization, Public Eye, for having sugar levels not permitted in Europe, was not registered or sold in Nigeria. It assured Nigerians they had nothing to worry about.
Pluboard has, however, found that Nido formula is widely available in the Nigerian market. Public Eye also confirmed to us that it sourced the product in Nigeria for its investigation.
Contradicting guidelines
Campaigners at the non-profit conducted scientific analysis of Nestlé’s Nido and Cerelac brands sold in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world. They found that the food giant, which controls 20% of global baby-food market, added sugar to products sold in Nigeria and other developing countries where regulations are lax, whereas products sold in developed countries had no sugar.
Cerelac infant cereals sold in Nigeria contained second highest level of sugar amongst dozens of countries measured.
Adding sugar to children’s food directly contradicts international guidelines aimed at curbing obesity, dental problems, and chronic diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that early exposure to sugar creates a lifelong preference for sweet products, raising the risk of obesity and other chronic illnesses. Since 2022, the WHO has called for a ban on added sugar in food for children under three.
Public Eye’s investigation found that while publicly advocating avoiding sugary baby foods, Nestlé exploits loopholes in regulations to continue selling such products in developing countries.
The company also uses medical professionals and social media influencers to gain parental trust in those products.
Public Eye’s testing revealed the presence of added sugar in both Nido (a follow-up milk formula for infants aged one and above) and Cerelac (a cereal for children aged six months to two years). Specifically:
Nido:
- Panama had the highest sugar content, with 5.3 grams per portion.
- Nido sold in Nigeria contained only 0.6 grams of sugar.
- Nido in the United Kingdom and Germany had no added sugar.
Cerelac:
- Nigeria ranked second (after the Philippines) with a high sugar content of 6.8 grams.
- Cerelac sold in Germany and the UK was sugar-free.
In a statement sent to Pluboard, Nestlé Nigeria said its baby brands adhere to the same standards everywhere, but admitted there may be some “slight variations in recipes around the world” regarding cereals.
“We apply the same nutrition, health, and wellness principles everywhere in the world which are aligned with both international and local guidelines and regulations,” spokesperson Victoria Uwadoka said.
“In Europe, Nestlé’s range of cereals comes with and without added sugars,” it said.
The company denied adding sugar (sucrose and glucose) to Nido in Nigeria and elsewhere for children up to 12 months – an indication sugar is added to products meant for children above one.
Public Eye said it found that all Nido sold in Germany, France and the UK for children aged 12-36 months contained no added sugar, while those for children aged one year and above in poorer countries had added sugar.
Also, the group said while some cereals for children over one-year-old in Germany, France and the UK contained added sugar, cereals for babies aged six months to below a year did not. Those in that range in other countries contained high amount of sugar.
Available in Nigeria
NAFDAC said it would investigate the claims. In a statement late April, the agency said it found nothing wrong with the Cerelac sold in Nigeria as they met regulatory standards.
Pluboard asked Public Eye to comment on NAFDAC’s statement. The organization said meeting local standards does not guarantee the safety or top-quality levels of the products.
“While Cerelac sold in Nigeria might legally comply with national standards, we consider it unethical and problematic in terms of public health on behalf of Nestlé to sell the same product with high levels of added sugar in Nigeria while the company does not add sugar in its main European markets,” the organization said in a statement to Pluboard.
It said the so-called global standards “are heavily influenced by industry lobbying.”
“Mere compliance with the minimum legal requirement does not assure that the product complies with public health objectives,” the group said.
More surprisingly, NAFDAC claimed Nido milk was not sold in Nigeria.
“Regarding the mention of Nido follow-up milk formula in the publication, NAFDAC wishes to state that the product is not registered in Nigeria, is not known to the Agency and is not in circulation in Nigeria,” it said in a statement.
Pluboard conducted market surveys and confirmed the product remains distributed and sold in Nigerian stores – online and offline.
Public Eye also provided evidence of the Nido formula it purchased in Lagos.
“While we cannot comment on the fact whether the Nido 1+ toddler milk is registered with the national regulator, we certainly were able to purchase the product in Nigeria. We did so in a store in Lagos and the corresponding product contains added sugar in the form of honey,” the group said.
NAFDAC did not respond to our request for further comments.
In its 2023 annual report, Nestlé said it introduced “innovative products that cater to the evolving needs of our consumers”. One of those products is NIDO Milk & Soya.
“… this marked the return of the NIDO brand to the Nigeria market,” the company said.
Nido and Cerelac are some of Nestlé’s best-selling baby-food brands in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, the company also makes Milo, Nescafe, Golden Morn, Maggi among others.
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