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By Zika Bobby
Key stakeholders in Nigeria’s dairy industry have called for greater clarity and consistency in product standards and classifications, following a national roundtable convened by the Danish Dairy Board, the Royal Danish Consulate General and Dairy Business Partners to commemorate World Food Day 2026.
Organised under the ‘Choose Milk’ campaign, the dialogue brought together key government officials, regulators, development partners and industry leaders, including Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, representatives from the Ministry of Health, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA).
The platform enabled stakeholders to examine pressing regulatory challenges in the Nigerian market, specifically the need for precise definitions and classifications for dairy products, creamers and fat-filled milk within the existing regulatory framework.
Discussions focused on harmonising definitions, strengthening regulatory alignment and ensuring product labels empower consumers to make informed choices while fostering fair market competition.
Speaking at the event, the minister emphasised that realising the industry’s potential requires more than just boosting domestic milk production.
“Nigeria’s dairy industry has significant potential to contribute to food and nutrition security, rural development, employment, industrial growth and the wider economy. Realising this potential depends on a transparent regulatory framework that promotes product safety, protects consumers, encourages investment and supports fair competition. Clear and consistent standards are necessary to help consumers understand what they purchase and ensure producers, processors, importers and distributors operate under predictable requirements. Concerns over counterfeit and substandard products, extending to medicines and veterinary supplies, reinforce the need for effective regulation to protect both public and animal health,” he said.
Lars Jensen, Senior Project Manager at the Danish Dairy Board, highlighted the vital role multi-stakeholder collaboration plays in educating the public.
“By combining funding, technical expertise and local knowledge, we can strengthen public understanding of dairy products and their nutritional value.
“Clear and accurate labels help consumers identify ingredients, evaluate nutritional content and make informed choices based on their needs and purchasing power. Labelling distinguishes between product categories, reduces market confusion and builds consumer confidence. Ultimately, our shared goal is to promote market transparency and support nutrition awareness across Nigeria.”
Discussions also underscored the need for seamless coordination among agencies overseeing food safety, standards, livestock development and public health to reduce ambiguity for businesses.
Addressing NAFDAC’s regulatory mandate, Chinyere Ikejiofor, Head of Nutrition, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at NAFDAC, stated that the fundamental principle of food labelling, particularly for milk and dairy products, is to ensure consumers are not misled.
“Product information must be clear and accurate and must not present products in a way that creates confusion regarding their nature, composition or characteristics.
“Under NAFDAC’s current pre-packaged food labelling framework, mandatory requirements include correct product descriptions, an ingredient list in descending order by weight, manufacturing and expiry dates, storage conditions, manufacturer details, country of origin, batch numbers and full nutritional information,” she said.
The roundtable reaffirmed the importance of sustained public-private dialogue in addressing critical regulatory questions surrounding the production, importation, marketing and consumption of dairy products in Nigeria.
