The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) on Monday held a media training in Kano to raise awareness and promote advocacy for the phase-out of unbranded edible bulk oil in Nigeria.

The event, supported by GAIN and in collaboration with EHealth, gathered media practitioners across Kano to equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for safer, fortified edible oil consumption.

CS-SUNN Program Officer, Hope Ikani, emphasized the critical role the media plays in influencing public awareness and policy.

“Unbranded edible bulk oil is a problem, and we are trying to phase it out. The media is our partner, and the essence of this meeting today was to enlighten them on the large-scale food fortification program currently ongoing nationally,” she stated.

She noted that the training was also aimed at deepening journalists’ understanding of the dangers associated with unregulated oils and unfortified food, which pose significant long-term health risks.

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“Just like you saw during the training, there are long-term effects and dangers associated with these oils,” she said, adding, “Consumers need to be fully aware so they can choose branded and fortified oils when buying in the market.”

Ikani referenced the 2021 Nigerian Food Consumption Survey, which revealed that over 60% of households in the country consume unbranded edible bulk oil — a statistic she described as alarming.

“We don’t want to start focusing on curative measures when we can prevent it now,” she added. “Prevention is better than a cure.”

The Communications and Campaign Manager for CS-SUNN, Peter Olushola, described the training as a strategic part of a broader campaign requiring a multi-stakeholder approach.

“We are here training journalists on how to phase out the unbranded edible bulk oil, which has become a menace due to its harmful effects,” he said.

Olushola further added that, “Beyond government regulators, we saw the role the media can play in raising awareness.”

He also expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the training, saying it has already begun to yield positive results.

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“From the presentations and conversations we had, it has been largely successful,” he noted.

“The journalists demonstrated appreciable knowledge and even shared personal experiences, with some making personal commitments to avoid unbranded oils in their own lives.”

The training is part of CS-SUNN’s ongoing advocacy to reduce the health risks associated with unregulated food products and promote the consumption of safe, fortified food items in Nigeria.

SolaceBase reports that data from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reveals that 67% of Nigerians consume unbranded edible oil, while only 31% of the oils in circulation are fortified with essential nutrients such as Vitamin A.

This widespread consumption of unregulated, often adulterated oils significantly contributes to Nigeria’s burden of micronutrient deficiencies, particularly affecting women and children.

Despite over 90% of salt being reportedly fortified, iodine deficiency disorders like goitre remain prevalent, underscoring the urgent need for public awareness and stronger enforcement.

CS-SUNN officials stressed that these alarming statistics call for multi-stakeholder advocacy and media-driven campaigns to encourage the adoption of safer, branded, and fortified food products.