Nigeria, May 6 -- A coalition of public health advocates has urged the Nigerian government to rethink its food fortification strategy, warning against using ultra-processed foods as vehicles for delivering essential nutrients.

The coalition made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a press briefing themed "Addressing the use of ultra-processed foods as vehicles for food fortification in Nigeria."

The group argued that while food fortification remains a useful tool in tackling micronutrient deficiencies, its current application risks worsening Nigeria's growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), food fortification is the deliberate addition of essential micronutrients, such as ...