TechnoServe seeks millers’ input to boost food fortification efforts

Nigeria’s food fortification drive is set to get a significant boost, with TechnoServe seeking millers input to inform the next phase of the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) 2.0.

MFI, an innovative mechanism designed to support the food industry in self-regulating and fortification compliance, has made notable progress since its inception; however, stakeholders are emphasizing the need for greater industry participation and increased investment.

At a recent stakeholder roundtable discussion in Lagos, millers from the edible oil, sugar, and flour industries, regulatory bodies, and development partners converged to share experiences and provide feedback on the index.

Adesuwa Akinboro, country director of TechnoServe, said the stakeholder roundtable was designed as a safe space for honest conversations, with participants encouraged to speak freely about what has worked, what hasn’t, and how to scale up successes.

According to her, key areas of focus included strengthening incentives for food fortification, improving regulatory frameworks, and leveraging technology to enhance compliance and monitoring.

“We want to ensure that MFI 2.0 is responsive to evolving industry needs and captures the feedback of all stakeholders,” Akinboro said.

With Nigeria’s population projected to reach 400 million by 2050, the stakes are high for getting food fortification right.

“The insights gathered from this roundtable will inform the development of MFI 2.0, shaping the future of food fortification in Nigeria,” she noted.

Eva Edwards, director of food safety and applied nutrition at NAFDAC, described the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) as a transformative, data-driven tool that complements regulatory efforts by encouraging voluntary compliance and accountability in food fortification.

Read also: Executive bookshelf: AI concerns cloud Caribbean region Commonwealth Short Story prize

Edwards added that the MFI provides valuable data to support regulatory monitoring, inform policy decisions, and strengthen Nigeria’s food fortification programme, while commending TechnoServe and other stakeholders for advancing the initiative.

Giving an overview of the MFI journey and progress to date, Ayodele Tella, LSFF portfolio lead at TechnoServe, stated that with funding from the Gates Foundation, TechnoServe initiated a market-based and industry-led initiative to drive change in fortification compliance in 2016.

Ayodele noted that progress has been made with the index as more millers across the edible oil, sugar, and flour sectors are generally improving their systems with new companies coming onboard.

Data-driven insights have shown that the number of millers opting for MFI has increased from 4 pioneer companies to 18 participating companies with over 30 brands, she said.

However, she noted that the index needs to be reassessed and repositioned in line with industry needs to drive food fortification.

She urged millers to make investments in fortification to tackle the country’s high malnutrition rates.

Speaking on the proposed MFI 2.0 framework, Tobi Durotoye, senior specialist & portfolio lead, Agri-food Systems Innovation, said MFI is refining its approach to drive adoption and improve the nutritional quality of staple foods.

According to him, the index has collected 15,000 data points across Nigeria and Kenya, revealing insights on how to improve the fortification process.

He noted that analysis of the data shows companies is improving their systems, but there are blind spots, particularly in product quality, adding that MFI 2.0 is to adjust the methodology to focus on production and continuous improvement, increasing the weighting of these areas while reducing the burden on smaller companies.

“The redesign is about making the effort proportional to the insight it generates,” Durotoye said. “The changes aim to make the evaluation process more efficient and effective, with a focus on verifiable evidence and consistent scoring,” he added.

He urged millers to see the adoption of MFI as an investment opportunity, not as a cost burden. “We must continue to pay attention to the value it provides.”

Stakeholders have welcomed the refinement of the index and appreciated TechnoServe for the training and technical support in driving large-scale food fortification in the country.

“MFI has proven to be a powerful complement to regulatory frameworks, demonstrating how industry-led accountability can effectively drive consistent compliance,” said Margaret Eshiett, managing director of Rightway Consult.

“There is a future in MFI,” she added, while calling for a migration to risk-based monitoring regulatory frameworks that are more resource effective, and serve as incentives for participating companies in accountability systems as the MFI.