The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured Nigerian parents and caregivers that all Nestlé infant formula products approved for sale in the country are safe for babies.
The reassurance followed concerns circulating online after Nestlé UK announced a voluntary precautionary recall of specific batches of SMA Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula in over 50 countries. The recall was linked to the possible presence of cereulide, a heat-resistant toxin produced by certain strains of Bacillus cereus, which can cause nausea and vomiting.
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NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that the recalled products were not manufactured for, nor distributed in, the Nigerian market. She confirmed that the SMA range sold in Nigeria is produced at the Nestlé Tuas Factory in Singapore and is fully registered with NAFDAC. These include SMA Gold 1 (NAFDAC Reg. No. B1-2783), SMA Gold 2 (B1-2780), and SMA Gold 3 (B1-2781). She further stated that both SMA and NAN infant formula brands available in Nigeria are not part of the affected batches recalled abroad.
According to Prof. Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s public alert was issued purely as a precaution and in line with the agency’s responsibility to keep Nigerians informed of global food safety issues, even where the risk of local exposure is minimal.
She noted that NAFDAC remains vigilant, especially against risks associated with unauthorised imports, online purchases, or personal carriage of products from overseas. The agency will continue strict regulatory oversight through product registration, routine surveillance, and post-market monitoring.
NAFDAC urged the public to rely on verified information and report any suspected sale of recalled products, reaffirming its commitment to protecting the health of Nigerian infants and the wider population.
