Stakeholders in the dairy sector have called for clearer product standards and more consistent classification and labelling rules, arguing that regulatory clarity would help reduce consumer confusion, strengthen market transparency and improve business predictability.
The call emerged from a national dairy industry roundtable convened by the Danish Dairy Board, the Royal Danish Consulate General and Dairy Business Partners to commemorate the 2026 World Food Day, with discussions focusing on regulatory ambiguities surrounding dairy products, creamers and fat-filled milk.
The engagement, held under the Choose Milk campaign, brought together the Ministry of Livestock Development, the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) and representatives of the dairy industry.
The debate extended beyond what dairy products are called to how they are classified and presented to consumers. Stakeholders called for more consistent definitions under the existing regulatory framework and labels that accurately reflect product composition and nutritional content.
Idi Mukhtar Maiha, minister of livestock development, said strengthening the dairy industry required more than increasing domestic milk production, arguing that predictable regulation, product safety and consumer protection were also necessary to unlock the sector’s wider economic potential.
“Nigeria’s dairy industry has significant potential to contribute to food and nutrition security, rural development, employment, livelihoods, industrial growth and the wider economy,” Maiha said.
He noted that transparent regulation would help consumers understand the products they purchase while ensuring that businesses operate under predictable requirements.
“Clear and consistent standards are necessary to help consumers understand the products they purchase and ensure that producers, processors, importers and distributors operate under predictable regulatory requirements,” he added.
The minister also highlighted the challenge of counterfeit and substandard products, noting that quality assurance concerns extend beyond food to medicines and veterinary products, with implications for both public and animal health.
He said the government’s objective was to promote regulatory clarity, protect consumer interests and establish a fair and competitive market for dairy operators.
The discussions reflect a wider policy challenge for Nigeria’s food market: how to ensure that product descriptions, ingredient disclosures and nutritional claims are sufficiently clear for consumers while allowing businesses to compete within a consistent regulatory framework.
Lars Jensen, senior project manager at the Danish Dairy Board, said improving consumer awareness required collaboration among public institutions, industry participants and development partners.
“By combining funding, technical expertise and local knowledge, we can strengthen public understanding of dairy products and their nutritional value,” Jensen said.
He identified product labelling as a key component of consumer education, saying accurate information helps buyers understand ingredients and nutritional content, distinguish between product categories and make choices suited to their needs and purchasing power.
Jensen added that better information could reduce confusion and strengthen confidence in the dairy market, while supporting broader awareness of the role of dairy products in nutrition.
Regulatory clarity was also linked to the need for effective coordination among agencies responsible for food safety, product standards, livestock development and public health. Stakeholders said closer coordination could help reduce ambiguity for businesses and strengthen implementation of existing requirements.
Chinyere Ikejiofor, head of nutrition, food safety and applied nutrition at NAFDAC, said the fundamental principle of food labelling was to ensure that consumers were not misled about the nature, composition or characteristics of products.
“Nigeria’s pre-packaged food labelling regulations provide the foundation for the information that must appear on product labels,” Ikejiofor said.
She explained that applicable requirements include the correct product name and description, an ingredient list arranged in descending order by weight, production and expiry or best-before dates, storage conditions, manufacturer details, country of origin and batch identification. Nutritional information is also required under NAFDAC’s current framework, she said.
The roundtable also highlighted the role of sustained government-industry engagement in resolving questions affecting the production, importation, marketing and consumption of dairy products.
The Choose Milk campaign, funded by the European Union and managed by the Danish Dairy Board, focuses on consumer education about milk and dairy products in Nigeria. Its objectives include explaining dairy nutrition, distinguishing dairy milk from other milk-based or non-dairy products, and helping consumers make informed dietary choices.
