The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has confirmed the availability of substandard and unregistered sugar products in the markets.
Its Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the fake and smuggled brands were allegedly being brought in from Brazil.
Acting on a tip-off, he said the commission’s operatives conducted discreet investigations nationwide, particularly in the South-West and the North-East.
The investigations, according to him, revealed that several of the identified sugar products lacked normal labelling, including production and expiry dates, batch numbers and the mandatory National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration.
Even more concerning he said, most of the products were not fortified with Vitamin A, a critical nutrient essential for good vision, immune health, and overall well-being.
The absence of this fortification, according to Ijagwu, exposes Nigerian consumers to serious health risks such as blindness and increased susceptibility to infections, particularly among vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women.
Expressing deep concern over the economic impact of these products, he said the influx of smuggled sugar undermines fair competition, placing undue pressure on compliant local producers, who adhere to regulatory standards.
He added that importers of the substandard products engage in price manipulation to the detriment of genuine producers and consumers.
“This jeopardises the sustainability of the Nigerian sugar industry and also erodes consumer trust in the market. Smuggling, facilitated through porous borders, particularly from neighbouring countries such as Cameroun and the Benin Republic further complicates enforcement efforts and hampers traceability,” he said.
Reassuring Nigerians that consistent with the provisions of the Commission’s Act (FCCPA) 2018, he said they were taking decisive steps to address the problem.
