Assessment of Nutrition Labelling Compliance in Food Manufacturing Companies in Lagos State

Mandatory nutrition labelling on packaged foods provides consumers with actionable dietary information and is regulated by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in Nigeria. This study assesses compliance with nutrition labelling regulations among food manufacturing companies operating in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. As the largest commercial city in West Africa, Lagos hosts hundreds of registered and unregistered food manufacturers producing packaged foods for national and export markets. A regulatory assessment approach was used, examining a sample of 300 packaged food products collected from retail outlets in Oshodi, Ikeja, and Victoria Island. Products were evaluated against NAFDAC labelling requirements covering presence of a nutrition information panel, declared serving size, macronutrient quantities, ingredient lists, allergen declarations, date marking, and manufacturer contact information. Compliance scores were calculated per category and product type. Interviews with quality assurance managers from ten selected manufacturing companies explored awareness of labelling regulations, in-house compliance processes, and challenges encountered. Findings are expected to show significant gaps in compliance, particularly for small and medium enterprises, with common violations including missing allergen declarations, incorrect serving size formats, and absence of standardised nutrient panels. The study recommends strengthened regulatory enforcement, manufacturer education, and harmonised labelling guidelines from NAFDAC. Keywords: nutrition labelling, food manufacturing, regulatory compliance, Lagos, NAFDAC.