Industry Self-Regulation of Food Fortification Compliance: Piloting the Micronutrient Fortification Index in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Sustaining large-scale and good-quality food fortification requires strategies that incentivize food processors to invest in and consistently meet national food fortification standards where they exist. A standardized Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) piloted in Nigeria has provided a ranking of fortified branded products for each participating company based on a score aggregating the effectiveness and efficiency of the company’s systems and levels of product fortification. The MFI has demonstrated the significance of brands as a focal point for investment and industry accountability in food fortification and the power of harnessing the competitive nature of businesses to drive their food fortification performance. Results: The initiative started with a pilot consisting of well-known brands of 4 companies and has since expanded participation to 15 companies, representing 31 brands, having completed the first entire ranking cycle. The publicly listed brands on the Index now cover approximately 80% of the flour milling market, 40% of the edible oils market, and 88% of the sugar market in Nigeria, reaching over an estimated 134 million people in the country in 2022 (Based on analysis by TechnoServe Supporting African Processors of Fortified Foods [SAPFF] program in Nigeria. Underlying information as supplied by industry participants.). The data inputs are made through company-owned digital portals, and the results are published on a secure, web-based public portal which also serves as a gateway for stakeholders to access related information on micronutrient fortification and food quality ( https://technoserve-mfi.web.app/ ). The ultimate aim of the MFI is to serve as a leverage for private sector efforts to both digitalize quality assurance and business processes linked to industrial automation and to harness their competitiveness through voluntary participation in the Index to drive improved food fortification performance based on industry best practices and quality benchmarks.

Fostering an Enabling Environment for Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems in Nigeria

“…As indicated above, the efforts to foster an enabling environment for NSA and food systems have included active engagement of the private sector, especially around large-scale fortification of staple foods and condiments and the development of nutrient-dense processed foods. Durotoye et al 34,35 describe several strategies that were used to engage the private sector and incentivize their contributions. The strategies included data generation about product quality and brand performance, strategic engagement with industry leaders, industry commitment building, provision of technical assistance, business advisory services and sector wide training, and fostering governance innovations such as development of a Micronutrient Fortification Index.…”

“…Approaches were tailored to the characteristics and needs of different private sector companies and elevated the engagement around large-scale food fortification across the corporate echelons, while strengthening collaboration with core technocratic cadres. The reports by Durotoye et al 34,35 remind us that the private sector is not one homogeneous group and that differences in the capabilities and resources of various types of companies must be taken into account when delivering NSA and food systems interventions through the private sector. The need to foster trust to achieve successful private sector engagement was underscored.…”

“…Large Scale Food fortification and private sector engagement for the development/production of nutrient-dense food products were part of the effective programmes emphasized in the situation analysis, and these became focus areas for the work on NSA and food systems. Two papers in the Special Issue 34,35 highlight work and research that has been undertaken to increase private sector engagement and compliance with fortification standards.…”

“…To enable the reader understand the time sequence of the events and processes described in the sections above, Figure 1 provides a chronology of events by year. Figure 1 also includes the timelines for studies in the Special Issue, except for the fortification 34,35 and biofortification work 31 which were conducted over several years.…”