By Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Federal Government has launched the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services as part of efforts to improve nutrition, promote healthy diets, prevent diet-related diseases and strengthen Nigeria’s food system.
The initiative, unveiled on Monday at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja, is aimed at repositioning public food procurement as a strategic tool for advancing public health, national development and economic growth.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the Guidelines as a major policy milestone that aligns government procurement with national health, nutrition and development priorities.
Speaking on the theme, “Public Procurement of Food: Promoting a Culture of National Wellness Through the Food Value Chain,” Salako said every government procurement decision should serve as a strategic instrument for improving health outcomes, building human capital and stimulating economic growth, rather than merely fulfilling administrative requirements.
He said the initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s whole-of-government approach to governance, stressing that meaningful improvements in public health require close collaboration among agencies responsible for procurement, agriculture, nutrition, health and economic planning.
The minister expressed concern over the rising burden of diet-related diseases, noting that unhealthy diets account for an estimated 7.2 million deaths globally each year.
He also revealed that Nigerians consume an average of 3.9 grams of sodium daily, almost double the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 2 grams, while excessive intake of industrial trans fats and sugar-sweetened beverages continues to fuel the growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes.
According to him, the Federal Government has already introduced several policy measures to promote healthier eating, including the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, Trans-Fatty Acid Regulation and the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax.
On malnutrition, Salako said nearly half of deaths among children under five are linked to poor nutrition.
He cited recent survey findings indicating that about 40 per cent of Nigerian children under five are stunted, while nearly two million children suffer severe acute malnutrition annually, warning that the situation threatens the country’s future productivity, educational outcomes and economic development.
He noted that as the country’s largest institutional purchaser of food and related services, government has a unique opportunity to shape healthier food environments by demanding safer and more nutritious food products, thereby encouraging better production standards across the food value chain.
The minister explained that the new Guidelines establish evidence-based standards for food procurement by promoting balanced diets and setting limits on sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats.
He said they complement existing national policies on food safety, sodium reduction and trans-fat elimination, while reinforcing the government’s commitment to disease prevention and health promotion.
Salako added that the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative (NHSRII) identifies nutrition as a critical determinant of lifelong health, stressing that President Tinubu’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage extends beyond expanding access to healthcare to creating healthier communities through preventive public policies.
He also highlighted ongoing procurement reforms, including MediPool, which uses government’s purchasing power to improve transparency, strengthen supply chains, reduce fragmentation and expand access to quality health commodities.
According to him, the same strategic procurement approach is now being applied to nutrition through the new Guidelines.
The minister called on procurement officers, accounting officers and heads of government institutions to treat procurement as a strategic governance function with direct implications for health, education, productivity, environmental sustainability and public confidence.
He stressed that the success of the Guidelines would depend on effective implementation, continuous monitoring and measurable outcomes, expressing confidence that the policy would lead to healthier meals in schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, military formations and other public institutions across the country.
Salako commended the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Resolve to Save Lives, development partners and technical experts for their contributions to the development of the Guidelines, urging stakeholders to work together to ensure successful implementation for a healthier and more prosperous Nigeria.
